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'he Story of
Old Fort Plain

and tine'

iddle

all

GREENE

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THE STORY OF OLD FORT
PLAIN AND THE MIDDLE
MOHAWK VALLEY

(WITH FIVE MAPS)

A Review of Mohawk Valley history from 1609 to the
time of the writing of this book (1912-1914,) treating par-
ticularly of the central region comprised in the present
Counties of Herkimer, Montgomery and Fulton. Especial
attention is given to western Montgomery County and
the region within a twenty mile radius of the Revolu-
tionary fortification of old Fort Plain, including the
Canajoharie and Palatine districts of then Tryon County

Written, Compiled, and Edited by

NELSON GREENE

O'CONNOR BROTHERS :: :: :: PUBLISHERS

FORT PLAIN, NEW YORK

1915

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED, IN AFFECTIONATE
REMEMBRANCE, TO MY GRANDMOTHER, EMILY
HERKIMER GREENE. BORN IN THE EARLY
YEARS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, HER
LONG LIFE COVERED MUCH OF THE GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOHAWK VALLEY
FROM WILDERNESS TO CIVILIZATION, AND,
HER STORIES OF THE EARLY DAYS PROMPTED
THE INTEREST WHICH EVENTUALLY LED THE
WRITER TO THE PREPARATION
OF THIS VOLUME.

Coi)vriKht 1915
By NELSON GREENE

Mohawk, ever-flowing.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — curving broadly, hill-born, mountain-bound, meadow-edged ; its
valley the nation's roadway. th(> nation's boatway — linking east to west, oceans to lakes;
scurried by trains, by motor cars, thousands daily speeding along its banks, hill en-
compassed.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of the first days.

In the evening shadows, in the night shadows, the spirit lurk of the savage days ; the
lean red man pushing his live canoe o'er the rippling dark waters — on the nearby pine hill
his bark cabin, on the flats his waving cornfield ; vaguely gray seen through the river
l)ank trees, the settler's stone house ; from the flatland's edge the forest rising, all encom-
passing ; the fisherman's skiff silently drifting past silhouetted giant elms ; whisper of night
wind in the great treetops ; weird glow light of rising full, yellow moon.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of days of darkness, of battle, of death, of suffering ; in
the evening darkness, in the night darkness the spirit lurk of red days of blood ; shot, zip
of tomahawk, wail of crushed infant, death gasp of hero mother ; the sturdy old farmer
in bloody death clinch with the lithe, wriggling red man ; scarlet midnight gleam of burn-
ing homestead.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — great river of old. In the hilltop twilight, dim spirit figure —
mighty, towering— the nation-maker, mounted, from a high pathway wisely viewing future
vistas.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of the n.-ition. Here the building of the nation — wisely,
foolishly, strongly, recklessly, blusteringly, bravely — bridges, turnpikes, prairie schooners
wending westward, canals, boats, railways, rattling engines, endless car-trains, flying trol-
lies, speeding motor cars ; hamlets, towns, cities, bare brick factories belching black smoke.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of the present. Comes a birdman flying the twilight heavens
eastwai'd ; to him the earthdusk over-shadowing dull silver endless snake shapes of river,
of canal ; man-jjiloti^d great air bird flying, curving, settling on green hill meadow.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of our day. The steam car, electric car. flying past wide,
dusty cities — standing brick bare in the summer sun — teeming with life — aimless, well-
directed — streets, buildings, men. children, women, beauty, various clothes, strange hats,
cars, carts, trucks, vehicles, hurrying, hither, thither, hustle, bustle — aimless, well-directed.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — river of now — from rushing railroad car, from fl.ving motor car
the speeding traveler, seeing villagi> houses twinkling whitt^ amid green leaves, church spires
rising amid the trees ; school bells ringing, children running : on th(> village park the ball
players, running, batting, catching ; the great red barn standing upon a knoll amid wide,
yellow grain fields : horses galloping the pasture from rushing train ; cattle — black and
white spots upon the distant meadow.

Mohawk, ever-flowing eastward — river no more ; wide, full, waterway winding past great
locks, great bridges, floating great boats — but still the same mysterious lines of flowing
high hills, the same bordering green meadows.

Mohawk, ever-flowing — spirit of old, symbol of today, mysterious with suggestions of
days to come.

Mohawk, ever-flowing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTE.— It is sn.ijs'estpd that tho reader of this book follow this ovdn- in reading this
work :

First: Read the Fifteen School Dates (p. 322) in the Mohawk Valley Chronologies in
the appendix.

Second: Read the Mohawk Valley (.'hronology (p. 307), which starts the appendix.

Third : Read the main body of the book.

Fourth : At tlie conclusion of each chapter turn to the appendix and read therein the
matter relative to the chapter in the main body of the book, which the reader has just
completed. The appendix additions carry the main l)Ody chapter heads, to which the ap-
pendix matter properly belongs and to which they will be added in any future editions of
this work.

This book can be read in connection with Lossins'"s "Empire State" or (for a shorter
work) IIendrick"s "Brief (School) History of the Empire State."

Pape
INTRODUCTION ix

FIRST SERIES 1609-1783
CHAP. I. — The Mohawks and Iroquois — A Dutch Journey throujrh the Canajoharie

District in 1634— Local Indian Villaj^ies and Trails 1

CHAP, II,— 1609-1772 — Indians — Mohawk Valley Discovery — Settlement — Sir William

.Tohnson 3

CIIAI'. III.— 1774 — .Johnson Hall— Sir William Johnson, Sir John Johnson, Joseph and

Molly Brant 10

CHAP, IV,— Minden from 1720-1738— Sir George Clarke, Governor of the Province of New
York, Establishes a Forest Home at Fort Plain — 1750. the Reformed Church and
First Store Established — 1755, a Minden Tragedy of the French War 14

CHAP, V, — 1772 — Tryon County and the Canajoharie and I'alatine Districts 16

CHAP, VI.— Population of Tryon in 1757 and 1776— Ft. Johnson- The Highways 18

CHAP. VII. — 1772 — Tryon County People — Farming, Religious and Social Life — Sports

and Pastimes of the Days Before the Revolution 21

CHAP. VIII. — 1774 to 1777 — (Jrowth of the .\merican Liberty Movement— Tryon County

Committee of Safety and Militia 27

CHAP. IX.— 1776— The Building of Fort Plain— Other Forts Near Here 32

CHAP. X.— 1776— Adjacent Settlers and Buildings— Some Thrilling Incidents 35

CHAP. XI.— 1777— Oriskany— Willetfs Trip— Arnold's March— Enemy Flees 40

CHAP. XII. — 1777— A t'ontemporary Account of the Battle at Oriskany — Lossing on

Willett's Journey to Schuyler for Aid — The Oriskany Roster 48

CHAP. XIII. — 1777 — Personal lOxperiences at Oriskany — Indian and Tory Barbarities 54

CHAP. XIV. — 1778 — Indian Council at .lohnstown, March 9 — Manheim, Caroga, Spring-
field, Andrustown, German Flats Raids— Cherry \alley Massacre , 64

CHAP, XV. — 1779 — (ien. (,'linton at Canajoharie — Guard on Otsquago Creek — Sullivan

and Clinton Defeat Johnson and Brant 70

CHAP. XVI.— 1780— May 21, Johnson's Johnstown Raid— August 2, Brant's Minden Raid 74
CHAP. XVII.— 1780, August 2— Incidents and Tragedies and Details of Brant's Minden

Raid 77

CHAP. XVIII.— 1780— Johnson's Schoharie and Mohawk Invasion— Oct. 19, Battles of
Stone Arabia and St. Johnsville — Van Rensselaer's Inefiiciency — Enemy Escapes —
Fort Plain Named Fort Rensselaer — Fort Plain Blockhouse Built — Fort Willett
Begun 89

CHAP. XIX.— 1781— June. Col. Willett Appointed Commander of Mohawk Valley Posts,
Makes Fort I'lain His Headquarters — Dreadful Tryon County Conditions — July 9,
Currytown Raid — July 10, American Victory at Sharon — Fort Schuyler Abandoned 98

CHAP. XX.— 1781— Oct. 24, Ross and Butler's Tory and Indian Raid in Montgomery and
Fulton Counties— Oct. 25, .\mericau Victory at Johnstown — Willett's I'ursuit,
Killing of Walter Butler and Defeat of the Enemy at West Canada Creek — Rejoic-
ing in the Mohawk Valley — Johnstown, the County Seat, at the Time of the Hall
Battle, 1781 105

CHAP. XXI.— 1782— Last of the War in the Valle.v— Rebuilding and Repopulation— Tory

and Indian Raid at Fort Herkimer — Tories — Gen. Washington at Schenectady 114

CHAP. XXII.— 1783— February 9. Col. Willett's Attempt to Capture Fort Oswego—

Privations of the American Troops on the Return Trip 117

CHAP. XXIII.— 1783— April 17, Messenger From Gen. Washington Reaches Fort Plain
Giving News of End of Hostilities — April 18, Captain Thompson's Journey to
Oswego With a Flag of Truce " 118

vi TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

CHAP. XXIV.— 1783— July. Washington's Tour of Mohawk Valley and Visit to Otsego
I.akf— His Lottors ("oncorning Trip— Slojis at Palafino. Fort Plain, Cherry Valley
anrt Cana.idharit — Col. ('ly(l( — I'iiial Kccords of I'orl Plain or l''ort Uensselaer —
Last U('Vt)liitionary Indian Murder in t'aiiajoharic District 123

CHAP. XXV.— 1775-1783 — IJeviow of Mohawk Valley Events — Tryon County Militia

Kecords— Territoi-y Covered in These Sketches 130

SECOND SERIES 1784-1838
CHAP. I.— 1784-1838— Mohawk Valley After the RovoUition— Constructive Period— Mont-
gomery County and its Divisions — Towns and Tlieir Clianges 130

CHAP. II.— 1784-1838— People and Life in the Mohawk Valley— Dress— The Revolutionary
Houses — The Moliawk Dutch — English P.ecomes the Popular Tongue — Rev. Taylor's
.Tourney in 1802- Valley Sports — Douhleday's Invention of Baseball — Last of the
Mohawks in the Valley — The Iroquois Population in 1890 and the Mohawks in
Canada 142

CHAP. III.— 1689-1825 — Western Montgomery County and the Palatine and Canajohai-ie

Districts Townships — Life. Trade. Schools. I»evelopment 154

CHAP. IV. — The Five Revolutionary Churches of Western Montgomery County — Other
Revolutionary Churches in Montgomery and Fulton Counties and in Danube and
Manheim — Hon. Francis (Jranger's Account of the Old Caughnawaii;i D\itch
Church 165

CHAP, v.— The Mohawk River and Watershed— History and Topography 171

CHAP. VI.— 1609-1795— Traffic and Travel on the Mohawk River— Canoes. Dugouts, Skiffs,
Ratteaux — Carries at Little Falls and Wood Creek — 1792. Inland Lock Navigation
Co.— 1795. Canals and Locks at Little Falls, (Jerman Flats and Rome— Schenectady
and Durham Roatsand River Packets— 1821-1825. Mohawk Part of Erie Canal
System — 1825. Erie Canal Supersedes River .-is ^■alley Waterway — Christian
Schultz's 1807 Mohawk River Journey ". 178

CHAP. VII.— 1609-1913— Mohawk Vallev Transportation— Indian Trails— Horse and Cart
Roads, Highways (1700-1800)— Turnpikes and Mohawk Turnpike (1800-1840 > —
Countrv Roads ' (1840-1885)— Bicycle Routes (1885-1900)— Automobile Roads (1900-
1913)— Weed's 1824 Stage Coach Journey on the Mohawk Turnpike 185

CHAP. VIIL— 1793-1913— First Bridges in Middle Mohawk Valley and Montgomery
County — Celebration at Opening of Fort Plain Bridge. Julv 4, 180(3 — Fort Plain Free
Bridge. 1858 194

CHAP. IX.— 1812— The Militia System— Trainings— War With England— The Mohawk

Valley Militia 197

CHAP. X.— 1817-1825— Construction of Erie Canal— Clinton's Triumphal Trip— Fort

Plain's Celebration 200

CHAP. XL— 1831-18.36— First Valley Railroads— The Mohawk and Hudson (1831), Utica
and Schenectady (1836), New York Central (1853), New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad (1869), Fonda, Johnstown and (iloversville (1870), West Shore
Railroad (1883)— First Freight Business— Trolley Lines 209

CHAP. XII.— 1836, Fonda Made County Seat of Montgomery County — New Court House
Built at Fonda — Dissatisfaction in Northern Montgomery — 1838. Fulton County
Created From Northern Montgomery County 215

THIRD SERIES 1838-1913

CII.VP. I.— 1838-1913 — Montgomery County, Topography, I'opulation and History— Farm
Statistics and Amsterdam Industrial Statistics — Fulton County, Herkimer County
and Mohawk Valley Statistics 219

CHAP. II. — 1848 — Trip of Benson J. Lossing From Currytown to Sharon Springs, to

Cherry Valley, to Fort Plain — Revolutionary Scenes and People Then Living 231

CHAP. III.— 1861-1865— Montgomery and Fulton County Men in the Civil War— 115th,
153d and Other Regiments and t'ompanies With Montgomery and Fulton County
Representation— 1912, 115th and 153d Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Mustering in
at Fonda 234

CIIAI'. IV. — 1892, Barge Canal Recommendation of State Engineer Martin Schenck —

1900, Report of the Creene Canal Commission, Barge Canal Survev — 1903, Passage -
of $101,000,000 Barge Canal Act— 1905— Work Begun on Erie Canal Section— Locks
Widened to 45 Feet— Features of the Mohawk River Canalization 250

CHAP, v.— 1911, August 14-25, Atwood's 1,266-Mile Flight From St. Louis to New York-
Flies 95 Miles From Svracuse to Nelliston. August 22 and Stays Overnight at Fort
Plain— Flies 66 Miles From Nelliston to Castleton, August 23, With a Stop in tJlen
for Repairs— "Following the Mohawk" 262

CHAP. \l. — (ieological Review of the Middle Mohawk Valley by Abram Devendorf —
Lake Albany t'overing the Old Mohawk Country of Canajoharie. From Little

Falls to the Noses — The (ilacial I'eriod — S\irface Indications 265

CHAP. VII.— Western Montgomery County Schools— Supt. Alter's 1912 Report 271

CHAP. VIIL — Deforestation and Reforestation — Denundation in Western Montgomery
Countv — Arl)or Day— Adirondack and National Forest Preserves — The Forests and
the Water Supply 273

CHAP. IX.— 1894-1914- Western Montgomery County Hydro-Electric Development on East

and Caroga Creeks 277

CHAP. X.— 1825-1913— Western Montgomery County and the Five Townships of Minden,

Canajoharie, Root, I'alatine and St. Johnsville 281

TABLE OF CONTENTS . vii

Page
CHAP. XI.— 1825-1913— Western Montgomery County— The Town of St. Johnsville and

St. Johnsville Villase 284

CHAP. XII.— 1825-1913— Western Montjiomerv County— The Town of Palatine 286

CHAP. XIII.— 1825-191.3— WestfM-n Montgomery County— The Town of Uoot 287

CHAP. XIV.— 1825-191.3— Western Montgomery County— The Town of Caiiajoharie and

Canajoharie Village 290

CHAP. XV.— 1825-1913— Western Montgomery County— Fort Plain Village and Minden

Township 293

APPENDIX

Mohawk Valley Chronology 307

Western Montgomery County Dates 317

Mohawk Valley Military Statistics 318

Fifteen Dates for School Use 322

Chronology of Mohawk Valley Pre-Revolutionary Houses and Churches 321

Chronology of Sir William .Tohnson 326

Mohawk Valley Travelers' Chronology 327

Mohawk Valley Manufacturing Chronology — Sketches of Principal Industries and of

Cheese Dairying 328

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS— SERIES I.

CHAP. I. — The Mohawks and Six Nations — The Iroquoiau Tribes of North America —

The Iroquois Legend of Hiawatha 341

CHAP. II. — The Six Mohawk Valley Counties and the Mohawk Valley Considered as a
Historical and Geographical Unit — Dutcli Settlement and Influence in the Hudson
and Mohawk Valleys — Importance of the Hudson Valley, Geographical, Commer-
cial, Industrial, Agricultural, Social 350

1661—1 >utch Settlement of Schenectady 355

The Mohawks a Bar to Early While Settlement Along the Mohawk 356

■1709— Trip of Four Mohawk Chiefs to England 356

1760— Mrs. (irant's Mohawk River Trip 357

1760— (Jen. Amhersfs Expedition 358

CHAP. III. — Sir William Johnson, an Appreciation 359

CHAP. V 360

CHAP. VIII.— 1764— The General Herkimer House— A 1913 Description 360

1777 — Account of tlie Herkimer-Brant Conference at Unadilla by Joseph Wagner, a

Palatine Militiaman 361

Christopher P. Yates — A Biographical Sketch 362

CHAP. IX 362

CHAP. XL— 1777— The Battle of Oriskany Described by Miller and Seeber, Soldier Par-
ticipants 362

1777 — Capt. McDonald's Tory and Indian Invasion of Schoharie — Flockey Battle 364

CHAP. XIII 365

CHAP. XIV.— 1778— Battle of Cohleskill 365

Additional Facts Concerning Ilelmer's Heroic Run of 1778 365

CHAP. XV.— 1779— Gen. Clinton's Route From Canajoharie to Otsego Lake 365

CHAP. XVII 366

CHAP. XVIIL— 1780— Johnson's Raid and Battles of Stone Arabia and Johnstown De-
scribed by Thomas Sammons, an American Volunteer-Participant 366

CHAP. XIX.— Monuments to and Portraits of Colonel Willett 371

CHAP. XX.— 1781— Lieut. Wallace's Story of the Battle of Johnstown 372

CHAP. XXI 373

CHAP. XXV. — Part Played by tlie Women, Children and Youth in Mohawk Valley

History 373

SERIES II.

CHAP. I. — 1784^First Permanent Settlement of Oneida County — New England Immi-
gration 377

CHAP. VI.— Elkanah Watson's Mohawk River Trips of 1788 and 1791— His Views on and

Efforts for Improved Mohawk River Navigation 377

CHAP. VII.— 1800 (about)— The Mohawk and Albany Pikes— Toll Gates 381

CHAP. XL— 1914— Mohawk Valley Railroads— Railroad Development 382

SERIES III.

CHAP. I.— Mohawk Valley Governors. Yates, 1823-5 ; Bouck. 1843-5 : Seymour, 1853-5,

1863-5— Vice President Sherman, 1908-12 1 382

CHAP. IV.— Prospective Barge Canal Commerce 383

CHAP, v.— 1914— Aeroplanes 387

Incorrect Historical Illustrations 388

The Marking of the Site of Old Fort Plain — Valley Historical Societies and Thoir

Accomplishirents — Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls 388

Yankee Doodle and the Yankee r>oodle Bovs 389

Value of the Study of Local History by Dr. Sherman Williams 390

2200 Population of Hudson Valley— Ultimate Mohawk Valley Populations 392

Scenic Features of the Mohawk Valley 393

Notes 393

Corrections— Series 1 397

Corrections— Series II 398

A Final Word 399

viii TABLE OF CONTEXTS

ADDITIONAL CORRECTIONS.

In the Introcliiction, on pnao xiv. tliirty-flftli line read "white winter slumber" for
"whih^ winter sluniher."

In the Appendix, p. 351. fifth line from the l)ottoni. first column, read "history of coun-
tries" for "history of countie.s."

In the Appendix on p. 354, the statement is made that "At Poujjrhkeepsie in 1786, the
New York State Assemlily ratified the T'nited States Constitution, making the ninth state
to take such action and thus putting it into effect." Tliis is ;iu error. It was in 1788 that
the State Assembly met at I'oufrhkeepsie to consider the adoption of the National Consti-
tution framed at .\nnapolis in 1786. While in session news was received that New Hamp-
shire had ratified the Constitution. It was the ninth state so to do and its action put the
national government into effect. It was then up to New York to ratify or secede from the
United States. A majority of the state legislators were against ratifying and it was only
the great efforts of Alexander Hamilton that secured New York's approval by the close vote
of 30 to 27. See Lossing's "Empire Stale," Chapter 23.

In the Appendix, page 377, first column, seventh line from the top, read "New York
State Revolutionary troops" for "New Y'ork State Revolutionary militia."

In the Appendix, page 382. second column, fifth line from the top, read "250 loaded coal
cars" instead of "250 loaded freight cars."

In the Appendix. i)age 396, second column, fifth line from the bottom, read "Statue of
Baron Steuben" instead of "Statute of Baron Steuben."

In the acknowledgment of assist.-ince rendered the editor of this work by living (1914)
writers on the Mohawk valley and others, the name of Mrs. A. T. Smith of Fultonvllle, N.
Y., Is omitted. On page 230 appears an extract from one of Mrs. Smith's writings, "A
Ramble, Visit to a Colonial House."

.\n earnest effort has been made to correct the errors which have crept into this work
during its preparation. These mistakes will he eliminated in any future editions of this
book.

w — t

KEV TD CAMAL SIGNJS represents Bar^e-Caoil

i:^^:^.:^^::.:^:^^-^;^ rcptiesents a cana.li2.<2ij riv/er
"^^rt^^rn^r nz.pre,sents a canalized UKc.

(1) represents proposed Black-River Barpe-Canal improveme.nl- ^ ■

(2) repve-sents proposed Seneca-Lake - Chemung-Riyer Bai^e. Canal ln1provGmen^ .\ I
©represents proposed C(ens-Falls feeder Bar^e-Canal improi/ement ^'
©represents proposed Newfown-CreeK=Flushinj-Bay BageCanal imprcvemetih
©Ttpresent-s pnoposed FlushingBav^rJamaica-Baj Barje-Canal improwement-

NEW YORK STATE RIVERS.
Here are seen tlio principal rivers and river systems of New Yorl? State, including also
those of northeastern New .lersey. which empty into the month of the Hudson. The great-
est river systems in the order ol" their importance to New Yorlv State are the Hudson, the
OswcKO. tlie St. T,awrenci' (Includinj; Lake Champlain). tlie (ienesee. tlie Susquehanna, the
I)elaware. the IJlack. and the Allegheny. The borders of New York State are not here
shown and it will interest th<> student (of any age) to su|)ply them. New York contains
two of the three princii)al drainajxe systems of the United States— these three are the
Atlantic, the (Julf of Mexico and the Pacific systems. The .Vllej^heny river, traversing a
portion of southwestern New York Sl.-ite, represcmts the (hilf drainage system, while all (he
other .streams lie within the Atlantic system. New York State takes its form from the
Dutch and English occupation f)f tlie Hudson valley and the Ii'ocpujis occupancy of the Os-
wego valley and western New York. New York Slate, generally speaking, is bordered by
Lake Erie and the Niagara I'iver on tlie west. Ivake Ontario and the St. I^awrence on the
north. Lake ('hami)lain and the watershed of the Hudson on the east and portions of the
watersheds of the Allegheny. Susijuehanna and Helaware rivers on the south. Attention is
called to th(> remarkable Hudson (including the Mohawk I and (Jswego river systems, which
form such a large p.art of the New York State Harge ("anal. The canalized portions of
these rivers are represented l)y dots alongside their channels. Note the canal signs which
indicate proposed future unions of streams and their (■■•uiali/alion. See Chapter V., Series
II., P. 171. "The Mohawk River and Waterslied :" also Chapter VI., Third Series, "(ieological
Review of the Middle Mohawk N'alley."

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INTRODUCTION

In 1776 an American fort was erected, in the district of Canajoharie of
Tryon county, at the then mouth of the Otsquago creek, on a bluff in the Sand
Hill section of the present village of Fort Plain. Legend has it that there was
some sort of fortification before that date and this is not improbable as here
was the beginning of the Otsego trail through the Otsquago valley and the site
in question is one naturally suited for defense. The fort built in the year
of the Independence declaration was a regular army post and continued as such
until Washington's v'sit in 1783, and for some years after. It is with this forti-
fication that the story deals and with lands adjoining, of which it was a natural
center.

Artificial boundaries of territory are often confusing and somewhat ridicu-
lous. The Mohawk forms a natural division between the north and south side
sections about Fort Plain and it is fitting that these two neighborhoods should
be treated as separate localities. Aside from supposed convenience to the citi-
zens at election times and to facilitate town government, there is no reason
whatever why we should try in our minds to conceive the township of Canajo-
harie as set off in any way from the town of Minden. Walk back on the hills
toward Seebers Lane; look off to the east and you will see the stream of
the Mohawk separating you from the fertile hills of beautiful Palatine. But
where you stand (if it is on the high hill about a mile southeast of Fort Plain
village) you will see no line or natural boundary cutting off the farms of Minden
from those of Canajoharie. So, in treating of the land, people or events of the
valley, it is more vitally important to consider the sections naturally set apart
than those which consist solely of imaginary lines drawn upon maps.

In the following chapters, the story of old Fort Plain will be found to be
interwoven with that of the old Canajoharie and Palatine districts of Tryon
county. The acute mind of S?r William Johnson, in his division of the districts
of Tryon, merely drew on his map the natural boundaries which ran through the
county. This middle region of the Mohawk valley is set off from the upper part
to the west of Little Falls by the range which cuts squarely across the Mohawk,
known by the name of Fall Hill. To the east a similar barrier exists in the
picturesque hill formations wh'ch rise from the Mohawk flats on each side,
known as The Noses. The Mohawk here breaks through a high ridge which
separates this mid section from the eastern part of the valley. Johnson fit-
tingly named this region north of the river. Palatine, and that to the south
Canajoharie, and these formed the Palatine and Canajoharie districts of
Troyn county. The name Canajoharie had probably been applied to its section

X INTRODUCTION

from early Indian times. Five districts were set off and the other three were
Mohawk, on both sides of the river from the line of Schenectady county west
to the Noses, and from Fall Hill west, Klngsland to the north of the Mohawk
and German Flats to the south. The districts north of the river were supposed
to run to the Canadian line, while those to the south embraced territory to the
northern boundary of Pennsylvania. However, most of the population was
gathered along the Mohawk river and its tr'butary, the Schoharie, and the history
of Tryon county is in reality that of the Mohawk valley; which is another in-
stance where actual natural territory and boundaries must be considered rather
than the dot and dash divisions of the maps.

These two districts mentioned extend along the Mohawk for a distance of
about twenty miles. The townships of Montgomery county that form part of
old Canajoharie and Palatine are Minden, Canajoharie, part of Root (to the west
of the Big Nose), Palatine and St. Johnsville. This publication deals with these
five towns, as well as the older districts, and, as Fort Plain is approximately at
their geographical center, it is fitting that the title of this narrative should be
"The Story of Old Fort Plain." So the object of this work is to tell the tale of
the Mohawk country between the Noses and Fall Hill and to relate as well all
that can be gathered of importance with reference to the chief and central Revo-
lutionary fortification of the territory in question, which was known as Fort Plain.

It is interesting to realize that we have a prior authority, for the considera-
tion of local history from this point, in that eminent New York state historian,
Benson J. Lossing, particularly adapted to his task by being a descendant of the
first Holland settlers. In his wonderfully interesting "Pictorial Field Book
of the Revolution," he says: "At Fort Plain I was joined by my traveling com-
panions * * * and made it my headquarters for three days, while visiting
places of interest in the vicinity. It being a central point in the hostile move-
ments in Tryon county, from the time of the flight of St. Leger from before
Fort Stanwix until the close of the war, we will plant our telescope of observa-
tion here for a time, and view the most important occurrences within this par-
ticular sweep of its speculum." To do exactly this and, in addition, to continue
our view of life and events from the Revolutionary time to the present, is the
mission of "The Story of Old Fort Plain."

The need has been felt of a continuous narrative of the fort and the condi-
tions existing in its surrounding territory. The former chronicles of events and
life about here were largely obscure and what could be obtained was imbedded
in a mass of other material in local history. Fort Plain was next to Forts Dayton
and Herkimer, the most advanced New York frontier post, during the last years
of the war and seems to have been the most important. From here Willett is-
sued on his heroic marches to victorious battles; here was the headquarters of
the chief officers concerned in the Klock's field battle; here and within cannon
shot occurred some of the most tragic and thrilling incidents of the Revolution
in Tryon county. From here was heard Brown's brave stand at Stone Arabia,
and from here was seen the glare from Currytown's burning farm-houses. Here
was heard the rattle of the rifles of the victorious Americans on Klock's Field.
This fort housed the settlers fleeing from the tomahawk and torch of the Indian
and Tory. It was once, by Fort Plain's women, successfully defended by a femi-
nine ruse. It remained a tower of patriot strength during the whole contest and
finally at its close housed the great commander — Washington himself. Here

INTRODUCTION xi

came Gansevoort, Gov. Clinton, Col. Dayton, Gen. Clinton, the despised Van
Rensselaer, probably Gen. Arnold, as well as many members of the committee of
safety and of the county militia. Here commanded the mighty Willett and the
sterling warrior Clyde. Through the dreadful, bloody struggle, which decimated
the population and almost destroyed a thriving farming section, Fort Plain
stood a tower of strength to keep aJive in a great territory the soul of American
liberty and the spirit of American civilization and culture. This it did and,
when the horrors of the conflict were past and its dead buried, some back of the
church near by, the batteaux again floated on the river at its feet, within
its sight blackened ruins were replaced by houses and barns and the plowman
was once more seen tilling the neglected fields on the distant slopes. Civilization
resumed its work in the valley and the task of old Fort Plain was done. But
its story still remains for those who wish to learn it.

The placing of the fortification was evidently largely a matter of geography.
Its hill was capable of defense on all sides and was commanded by no higher
ground which could be used as a base of attack at that time. It could be pro-
vided with its necessary water from a good spring directly under its walls. It
had a view of the country for miles in all directions. The road from Fort
Stanwix to Schenectady ran along the foot of the hill. It, of course, was of easy
access from the river at its base and commanded this highway of freight
traffic, and a ferry ■♦ras here then as at a later date. Its location at the be-
ginning of the Otsego trail or carry, as mentioned, probably influenced its site
and here then the Otsquago flowed into the Mohawk. Boys who swam in the
river before the beginning of the Barge canal remember "the low," as they called
it and this shallow in the river, then about opposite the knitting mills, was un-
doubtedly the remains of the rift which always existed in the Mohawk below the
outlets of contributory streams. The mouth of the Garoga valley, penetrating a
great extent of the country to the north, lay about two miles away and at that
point the old Indian trail from Canada, by way of Lake George, joined the Mo-
hawk river trails. Furthermore Fort Plain was located in the midst of the
Palatine settlements of which Fort Herkimer and Fort Dayton defended the
western and Fort Hunter the eastern end. Everything made this the natural
site of what was later an important frontier post and the base of several mili-
tary operations vitally affecting the settlers of the Mohawk valley. Here at
Sand Hill, was a Reformed church, a river ferry, one or two traders and prob-
ably a tiny hamlet at the time of the erection of this defense. Of course the
fear of invasion of the state by British forces and Indian allies, from Canada
through the Mohawk valley, was the prime reason for the renovation of Forts
Stanwix and Herkimer and the building of Fort Dayton diagonally opposite, at
the present site of Herkimer, and of Fort Plain in the center of the Canajoharie
district in the year of the Declaration of Independence.

The time dealt with lends added interest to a sketch of its people, places and
events on account of its remoteness. Although we are separated from it by only
about a century and a half of time (since the date of the erection of Fort Plain),
the vital changes of that period have given American life an absolutely different
phase. Up to the building of the Erie canal the details of human existence had
been the same, practically, for centuries. Today we live in a different world
from our American forebears of 1776.

xii INTRODUCTION

The main part of these sketches is founded upon "Beer's Illustrated History
of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, 1878," Lossing's "Field Book of the Revo-
lution" and Simms's "Frontiersmen of New York." Large parts of these works
have been used bodily. Other authorities whose material has been made use of
are Lossing's "Empire State," Benton's "History of Herkimer County" and the
"Documentary History of New York." While no claim is made for especial
originality in its preparation, a great mass of material has been arranged in
proper chronological sequence, wh'ch, the writer believes, is the first instance
of its having been done in relation to the Revolutionary history of Fort Plain
and the region about it. In order to make a continuous narrative, dealing with
the men of this territory, the Oriskany campaign is included. It 's presumed
about half of the provincials concerned in this movement came from these two
districts and the history of the men themselves of old Canajoharie and old Pala-
tine is fully as vital as the study of events and places. An endeavor has been
made to give a picture of different periods and, to this end, much detail has been
necessary.

The history of the middle Mohawk valley can, for convenience, be divided
into four sections.

The first is from its discovery about 1616, to the formation of Tryon county
in 1772. This is the time of Indian life and of white settlement.

The second period is from 1772 to 1783, embracing the Revolutionary war.

The third is from 1783 to the division of Montgomery county into Fulton and
Montgomery counties in 1838, covering the years of highway improvement, bridge
building, canal digging, railroad construction and early town development.

The fourth is from 1838 to the present day, and it is hoped that teachers and
parents will, in future years, carry on this story for the young reader up to the
time in which he or she reads this book.

Many people have the idea that local history means, almost entirely, the
events transpiring about here during the Revolution. That such an impression
is erroneous is shown by the fact that, in this work, the recital of events here-
abouts, during the War of Independence, occupies only about one-third of the
space. Conditions have been so varied and so many elements have entered into
the story of this valley of the northland that there is much to scan beside the
tragedies, conflicts and life of the first war with England. Our chron'cle is not
alone local but touches at every point the development Of our national life, and
this is particularly true because the valley has always been, from the earliest
times, one of the great highways of traffic, trade and travel between east
and west.

No section of our country affords more glo.wing historical pictures than the
Mohawk country. Here are found all the elements that go to the making of the
story of man from the stone age to the present era of a complicated civilization.
The French priests and the Dutch traders discovered here red savages, who
were living under conditions similar to those of prehistoric man in Europe. Of
the latter we have only the most fragmentary knowledge, but, of the'r equivalent
brethren in America, we know as much as we do of our own frontier ancestors.
In the earliest days in the valley, of which we have historical knowledge, we find
much of the Mohawk Indian life centered in the old Canajoharie district. This
lends to the study of the most warlike tribe of the powerful Iroquois republic
an added and poignant local interest.

INTRODUCTION xiii

The story of this great and beautiful valley of the Mohawk is soon told in
brief. While it has been ages in the making, the reader can close his eyes and,
in less time than it takes in the telling, its varied and colorful pictures sweep
before his mental vision.

Centuries, probably, after the great glacial ice sheet started ebbing toward
the north, it turned the waters of some of the Great Lakes down through the
valley to the Hudson sea inlet, making our river a great rushing torrent, large
in volume and magnificent to the view. Before the mighty stream dwindled to
its present course, back, through the great forest covering the old glacial bed
and along the river, came slinking red human beings close, in brain and body, to
the beasts they slew for food and clothmg. Here, in the ages before the dread
ice came slowly and irresistibly from the dead and frozen north, perhaps had
been men not unlike them, living wild lives in the wilderness among the stranger
wild animals of that distant day.

Gradually these savages, of the period after the great ice sheet, grew in the
ruder arts of civilization; while, outside of their immediate bands, their lust
for human blood and love of cruel spectacles probably increased. Then came
red warriors from the north down upon the homes of these valley barbarians
and began a bloody war of extermination. Suddenly from the forests, these ver-
milion-faced, befeathered, naked savages rush out and with club and arrow,
with stone axe and knife, they murder the startled people of the Mohawk
villages. A hideous spectacle ensues — men, women and children are stabbed,
struck down, brained and scalped, only a few escaping to later burn and agonize
for the bestial enjoyment of the red raiders. To save themselves, the Mohawks,
with their brethren of the other four tribes, join in the great league of the Iro-
quois family. They drive back their foes, inflicting equally murderous and in-
human punishment, and become the virtual rulers of the red men of the entire
eastern country.

Years after this, but upon a long ago day, a Mohawk stood in front of his
village on a slope overlooking the bright and winding stream. Bronzed and
naked to his breech cloth and deerskin leggins, with knife in belt and bow
in hand, his sharp eyes scanned the summer scene. At his feet lay the flatlands
of the valley, green with the promising crop of Indian corn. Gently back from
these open spaces sloped the giant hills clad in a glorious forest unbroken to
the summits of the fartherest ridges. In the distance a herd of deer stepped
lightly to the river edge and drank, and far on high an eagle soared in the
milky blue sky. A pleasing sight — a view of primeval nature undisturbed. En-
tered, upon this quiet scene, a man in a canoe. Around a willow-bordered bend
in the placid river he came paddling down stream and the red man saw that
he was clad in strange garments and that he was white — a sight which filled
him with superstitious amazement — which meant the end of his race in the
valley. This was the first of the French priests whose mission of religion
brought them among the valley Iroquois.

As the river and its banks move quickly by, to this silent, serious white
man, so the scene changes rapidly after his advent. The Dutch traders, in still
stranger clothes, bring guns and rum to exchange with the Indians for their
splendid wilderness furs. After them follow red-coated soldiers and traders of
another race — the English. Then come, toiling painfully, up the banks of the

xii INTRODUCTION

The main part of these sketches is founded upon "Beer's Illustrated History
of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, 1878," Lossing's "Field Book of the Revo-
lution" and Simms's "Frontiersmen of New York." Large parts of these works
have been used bodily. Other authorities whose material has been made use of
are Lossing's "Empire State," Benton's "History of Herkimer County" and the
"Documentary History of New York." While no claim is made for especial
originality in its preparation, a great mass of material has been arranged in
proper chronological sequence, wh'ch, the writer believes, is the first instance
of its having been done in relation to the Revolutionary history of Fort Plain
and the region about it. In order to make a continuous narrative, dealing with
the men of this territory, the Oriskany campaign is included. It is presumed
about half of the provincials concerned in this movement came from these two
districts and the history of the men themselves of old Canajoharie and old Pala-
tine is fully as vital as the study of events and places. An endeavor has been
made to give a picture of different periods and, to this end, much detail has been
necessary.

The history of the middle Mohawk valley can, for convenience, be divided
into four sections.

The first is from its discovery about 1616, to the formation of Tryon county
in 1772. This is the time of Indian life and of white settlement.

The second period is from 1772 to 1783, embracing the Revolutionary war.

The third is from 1783 to the division of Montgomery county into Fulton and
Montgomery counties in 1838, covering the j^ears of highway improvement, bridge
building, canal digging, railroad construction and early town development.

Many people have the idea that local history means, almost entirely, the
events transpiring about here during the Revolution. That such an impression
is erroneous is shown by the fact that, in this work, the recital of events here-
abouts, during the War of Independence, occupies only about one-third of the
space. Conditions have been so varied and so many elements have entered into
the story of this valley of the northland that there is much to scan beside the
tragedies, conflicts and life of the first war with England. Our chron'cle is not
alone local but touches at every point the development of our national life, and
this is particularly true because the valley has always been, from the earliest
times, one of the great highways of traffic, trade and travel between east
and west.

No section of our country affords more glo.wing historical pictures than the
Mohawk country. Here are found all the elements that go to the making of the
story of man from the stone age to the present era of a complicated civilization.
The French priests and the Dutch traders d'scovered here red savages, who
were living under conditions similar to those of prehistoric man in Europe. Of
the latter we have only the most fi-agmentary knowledge, but, of the'r equivalent
brethren in America, we know as much as we do of our own frontier ancestors.
In the earliest days in the valley, of which we have historical knowledge, we find
much of the Mohawk Indian life centered in the old Canajoharie district. This
lends to the study of the most warlike tribe of the powerful Iroquois republic
an added and poignant local interest.

INTRODUCTION xiii

xiv INTRODUCTION

river, sturdy, patient men of a brother blood — the Germans. The Mohawks begin
to lose their lands and we soon find them, few in numbers, confined to two vil-
lages, one at the Schoharie creek and the other in the western Canajoharie
district. To them the white men seem to come in swarms. They fell the trees
and clear and till the land while the smoke from the burning prostrate forest
giants clouds the sky. White women, little children, and strange new animals
follow these woodsmen, who build yet larger houses of stone, who make wagon
paths through the woods and who bring their flatboats, up and down the river,
laden with grain, furs and many kinds of goods. These valley Europeans eat,
drink, play, dance, love, sing, breed, work and die, like people the world over.

Then, as now, spring comes to the Mohawk, flooding the white and grey
valley with sudden warmth, making every tiny rivulet a rushing torrent and fill-
ing the river with its j'early flood of brown turbid water and rushing ice. The
rough clearings are plowed and planted and heavy crops soon cover the fertile
soil. Forest, field, hillside — all are green, green in every shade; green every-
where is the valley, except the winding river reflecting the whitish blue sky.
Then the harvest time dots the verdant landscape with fields of brown and
yellow and through flatland and meadow resounds the swish of scythe and cradle.
Autumn colors the woods with a riot of scarlet, yellows and browns and the open
spaces and the river margin sparkle with the azure and sheen of aster, golden
rod, wild sunflower. Corn shocks rustle and nod and yellow pumpkins glow like
giant oranges amidst the stubble. Now is the beauty of the vale of the Mo-
hawk at its best, while the air is filled with subtle haze and the glorious autumn
landscape drowses in the noontide of a perfect Indian summer. Mohawk and
white hunter bring home deer and wild turkey; the small boy scours the woods
for hickory and butter nut. In the branches chatters the thrifty squirrel as.
the quiet air is startled by the crack and boom of rifle and gun. In the cabins
and stone houses, wives and daughters bake and brew for autumn feasts and
merrymakings. At night the great harvest moon, full-orbed, hangs in the sky
flooding, with its greenish yellow light, a landscape of mystery, through which
gleams the winding ribbon river — a scene inspiring that pensive seriousness
which seems to possess the valley, even in its gayest autumn or tenderest
springtime phases.

And now down again comes the soft mantle of snow and the great hills and
vales are once more wrapped in their while winter slumber.

And so, for years, runs along the life of the pioneer beside the Mohawk.
But after a time these white men of different nations begin to differ among
themselves and fall to quarreling violently. The velvet and red-coated turn upon
the men of homespun and buckskin; war to the death breaks out, while the valley
reeks with horrid slaughter.

The embittered Indians join the red coats, glad of a foe on whom to wreak
vengeance for their stolen hunting grounds. As is usual the payment for this
dread struggle of the Revolution is made in the lives of tender children and
loving women as well as in those of enraged men. What had once been
strong men of Tryon county lie rotting, to the number of two hundred on the
field of Oriskany.

Here particularly are shown all those revolting horrors of war which, when
generally and constantly realized, will eliminate such bloody struggles from the
life of civilized peoples — war which is no more essential to the development

INTEODUCTION xv

of nations than Indian barbarities are requisite to the cultivation of intrepid
manhood.

But the naked Indian, the velvet and the red coat are driven back. Sadly,
the men of homespun and buckskin drop their guns, bury their dead, rebuild
their burned and plundered homes and turn again to the task of tilling their
neglected fields.

Such is nature that, in ten year's time, the Mohawk skirts a country again
smiling with plentiful harvests, and through the trees along its banks show
solid houses and barns filled with corn and wheat and all the bountiful products
of a fertile soil. Then men tire of the hardships of boating on the river and dig
themselves a canal in which to float still larger freight craft, and great is the
rejoicing v.hen it is done. Bridges are built across the Mohawk and soon, close
along its edge, the engine of steam on iron tracks goes rushing by, before the
gaze of the astonished farmer and his affrighted family. Villages with smoking
factories dot the twin courses of the Mohawk and the Erie, broad cultivated
fields have replaced the giant forest which live only in a few scattered woods.
And here is the valley of our day, from whence, at the trumpet's blare which
proclaimed a nation's peril, thousands of our men fare forth to fight and die on
southern fields.

Here is the valley of four hundred thousand people, where were but ten
thousand when St. Leger came down upon Fort Schuyler; our valley which has
always been a great highway, by land and water, since the day of the Indian
trails and the river flatboat^great and growing greater with its railroads over
which hundreds of trains speed daily; its highways traversed by countless auto-
mobiles; its barge canal, soon to carry a large share of the country's east and
west commerce: our valley, with its schools, societies, clubs, churches, theaters,
fairs, factories, stores, bustling villages, great cities, tiny hamlets, fertile farms
— with its restless, discontented human population, sharing in the trouble and
perplexity of the nation's industrial anij political problems — but yet withal our
northland valley of old, shorn of its noble forest but with the same everlasting
hills rising in slope on slope, from the winding river to noble heights along the
horizon.

This in brief, is the story of the Mohawk. And what of the future — who
knows what it may be, before the great green forest of yore again comes back
over these rolling hills, yes and before that day when the dread cold encompasses

it all once more — perhaps forever.

NELSON GREENE.
Fort Plain, New York, September 15, 1912.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

(FIRST SERIES 1616-1783)

CHAPTER I.

The Mohawks and Iroquois — A Dutch
Journey Through the Canajoharie
District in 1634 — Local Indian Vil-
lages and Trails.

It is no part of this narrative to deal
at length with the Indian inhabitants
of the valley, who ceased to be people
of this territory at the building of the
Fort Plain fortification. The reader is
referred to works dealing with the
Mohawks and the Iroquois. That the
aboriginal inhabitants of the IMohawk
valley were a peculiar combination of
shrewdness, semi-civilization, child-
ishness and the blackest savagery,
goes without saying. They cultivated
the native vegetables on the river flats
and some of the native fruits on near-
by slopes. They made maple sugar,
raised tobacco and trapped and fished,
and handed on to the first white set-
tlers their knowledge of the native
soil and its products. The Mohawks
wore skins for clothing and made cab-
ins of saplings and bark, which were
of considerable size at times. A stock-
ade surrounded their villages. With
them is concerned a legend of Hia-
watha. The members of the original
five nations, in the order of their dis-
tribution from east to west, were Mo-
hawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas
and Senecas. These were joined by
the Tuscaroras in 1714, and the Iro-
quois, after that year, were known as
the Six Nations. As the Mohawks
were the most warlike tribe the war
chief of the Iroquois was selected
from the ranks of these valley savages.
At the time of the Dutch occupation,
the total Iroquois population is esti-
mated at 13,000, and must then have

been considerably greater than a cen-
tury later. Seventeenth century ac-
counts would indicate at least double
the number of Mohawks living along
the river, compared with eighteenth
century figures obtainable. Sir Wil-
liam Johnson, at one time, gives the
available fighting strength of the Mo-
hawks as 150 warriors, which seems a
very low figure. However the tribe
could not have much exceeded six
hundred people, as their castle at Fort
Hunter (in the eighteenth century) is
described as their largest village, and
only contained 30 huts. The Great
Hendrick and Joseph Brant are the
leading figures of the Mohawks in the
century preceding the Revolution.
Both were residents of the old Cana-
joharie district which we are consid-
ering. The famous Seneca chief Corn-
planter comes into our story and he
had local interest as being the son of
John Abeelj a Fort Plain trader. All
of these are considered at greater
length later.

Mr. John Fea of Amsterdam is the
author of a very interesting article
on "Indian Trails of the Mohawk Val-
ley," which was published in the Fort
Plain Standard in December, 1908.
From this publication are taken the
extracts which follow. The trip of the
Dutch explorers, which Mr. Fea nar-
rated, is of great local interest because
it covers so much of the old Canajo-
harie district along the Mohawk and
describes in detail the Indian villages
of that tribe, of which a great part
seems to have been located in the dis-
trict mentioned.

Mr. Fea's paper says that this was
"an expedition to the Mohawk and

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Seneca Indians' coutitry undertaken
by three Dutchmen with Ave Mohawk
Indians as guides in 1634-5. To us
their journey througli our own part of
the. Mohawk valley ought to be es-
pecially interesting, as they proceed
from one Indian village to another.
This journal is the earliest written
description of the Mohawk valley.
* * * * Tjjg motive of the expedi-
tion froin Fort Orange, as stated in
the journal, was to investigate the
movements of the French traders,
who were holding out greater induce-
ments than the Dutch were giving,
thereby persuading the Mohawks to
go and trade their rich furs in Canada.
They left Fort Orange on Dec. 11, 1634.
During a journey of two days' time
they covered 49% English miles. This
brought them up the Mohawk valley
on the north side of the river to Yosts,
near the 'Nose,' at a little house in
which they lodged over night. This
Indian house, according to this jour-
nal, was one-half mile from the first
castle, which was built on a high hill,
where they found 36 houses in rows
like a street. The name of the castle
was Onekagonka. The evidence of this
village can be found on the bank of
Wasontah creek on the Vrooman farm
near the 'Nose.' After three days so-
journ at Onekagonka they continued
westward over the ice on the river a
Dutch half mile [a Dutch mile equal-
ling two and one-fourth English
miles] past a village of nine houses,
named Canowarode. This is the pres-
ent county house site [on the north
side of the Mohawk] and the buildings
are all on the Indian village site. They
went another Dutch half mile and
» passed a village of 12 houses, named
Senatsycrosy. They had then arrived
at Sprakers. They continued past
Sprakers one Dutch mile and came to
the second castle with 12 houses built
on a hill. This castle was named Can-
agere. The expedition remained at
Canagere three days. They received
a supply of stores from Fort Orange.
Among the stuff was ham, beer, salt,
tobacco for the savages and a bottle
of brandy. Three Indian women came
from the Senecas peddling flsh. They

had salmon, dried and fresh, also a
good quantity of green tobacco to sell.

"Here the party employed an Indian
to act as guide to the Senecas. As a
retainer for his services they gave
h'm half a yard of cloth, two axes, two
knives, two pairs of awls and a pair
of shoes. On this day, Dec. 19, [1634]
there was a great rainfall. This cas-
tle Canagere was on the Horatio Nel-
lis farm. Dec. 20 they departed from
the second castle and marched a Dutch
mile to a stream they had to cross.
The water ran swiftly. Big cakes of
ice came drifting along; the rainfall
of the previous day loosened the ice
and they were in great danger if they
lost their foot'ng. Here then we be-
hold Canajoharie creek.

"After going another Dutch half
mile they arrived at the third castle,
named Sochanidisse. It had 32 houses
and was on a very high hill. It was
on the projecting point of land in the
Happy Hollow district west of Canajo-
harie on the Brown farm. They re-
mained over night at this castle. The
journal makes mention of plenty of
flat land in the vicinity. They ex-
changed here one awl for a beaver
skin.

"Dec. 21 they started very early in
the morning for the fourth castle.
After marching one-half Dutch mile
they came to a village with only nine
houses, named Osquage. The chief's
name was Ognoho, 'the wolf.' This
was at Prospect hill, near Fort Plain.
They saw a big stream that their
guide did not dare cross as the water
had risen from the heavy rainfall, so
they postponed their journey until the
next day. The stream we recognize is
the raging Otsquago. The next day
they waded through the stream and,
after going one-half Dutch mile, came
to a village of 14 houses, named Ca-
woge. This was on the Lipe farm
west of Fort Plain [at the site of the
Revolutionary post]. After going an-
other Dutch mile they arrived at the
fourth and last castle of the Mo-
hawks, named Tenotoge. This was
the largest village in the valley at
that period. There were 55 houses,
some 100 paces long. Here is men-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tioned a very definite landmark on the
trail. 'The Kill (river), we spoke
about before, runs past here, and the
course is mostly north by west and
south by east.' So reads the journal.

"Tenotoge was on the Sponable and
Moyer farms, two miles northwest of
Fort Plain. Accompanied by Andrew
H. Moyer, I counted 69 deep and well
defined corn pits on adjoining land,
then owned by Adam Failing. The
whole site covered about ten acres of
ground. Abundant evidence of pali-
sades was found by the Moyer family
when they broke up the ground. This
large and important Indian castle has
never been mentioned in New York
state aboriginal records.

"At St. Johnsville the river course
is due east. It then commences to
curve southerly and from Palatine
Church its course is almost due south
to Fort Plain, a distance of three
miles. On the elevated ground west
of the river, nearly opposite Palatine
Church, was located the great Mo-
hawk castle, Tenotoge. From this ele-
vation they saw the Mohawk river
course north and south as we may see
it today. At this point the old Ca-
nadian trail was intersected at the
river. From here they [the Dutch ex-
plorers] departed over the wilderness
trail westward, passing the south edge
of the Timmerman farm at Dutch-
town, and what was known by the pio-
neers of Dutchdorf as the old Indian
trail to the Senecas."

This important castle of the Mo-
hawks must have been the largest vil-
lage, inhabited by human beings, in
this section of the present state of
New York; and it was located cen-
trally within the limits of the present
town of Minden. Its site was doubt-
less infiuenced by the junction of the
Canadian trail with the river trail at
the Caroga ford.

"The whole Mohawk valley at an
early period was interlaced with In-
dian trails. The main ones from the
Hudson river passed along both sides
of the Mohawk. From the head of
Lake George two trails led to the Mo-
hawk river. The first led southwest-
ward through a valley between Potash

and Bucktail mountains in Warren
county to the ford at Luzerne on the
Hudson river below the mouth of the
Sacandaga, thence along the Sacan-
daga to the Vlaie at Northampton. On
leaving the Vlaie the trail took a
westward direction along the south
side of Mayfield creek to Kings-
borough, thence down the Cayadutta
to Johnstown, continuing its course on
the west side of the Cayadutta to the
present village of Sammonsville. From
this place the trail took a circuitous
course over Klipse hill, thence through
Stone Arabia to the ford at the mouth
of Caroga creek. This was the prin-
cipal route from the west into Can-
ada via Lake George and was a favor-
ite route traversed by the Oneidas, and
as such possibly gives reason why, in
1751, William Johnson secured from
the Indians, for 'himself and others,'
the Kingsborough tract of land, and
later taking up his residence on the
great Ind'an trail that passed
through it."

CHAPTER II.

1616-1772— Indians— Mohawk Valley
Discovery — Settlement — Sir William
Johnson.

The Mohawks were the most eastern
of the Five Nations. They claimed a
region extending from Albany, on the
Hudson, westerly to the headwaters
of the Susquehanna and Delaware, and
thence northerly to the St. Lawrence
river and embracing all the land be-
tween this river and Lake Champlain.
Their actual northern limits were not
definitely fixed, but they appear to
have claimed as hunting grounds, all
the lands between the St. Lawrence
and St. Johns river. This was a sub-
ject of continual dispute between them
and other tribes. Canada was settled
by the French in 1608. In 1609 Cham-
plain and his party of Canadian In-
dians defeated a band of Iroquois
(probably Mohawks), in battle, in the
present town of Ticonderoga between
Lake George and Crown Point. In
1615 Champlain and ten other French-
men joined the Hurons and Adiron-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

dacks in an expedition against the
Five Nations. The Iroquois signally
defeated this force, in the Onondaga
country. Champlain was wounded
twice and the invaders fled back to
Canada. The first white man to ex-
plore this region was probably a
Canadian Franciscian priest, LaCarnon,
who entered this field as missionary in
1616 and was undoubtedly the first
white man to behold the upper reaches
of this famous river and its beautiful
valley. In 1609 Dutch saUors from
the Half Moon passed the mouth of
the Mohawk and the Dutch may have
then penetrated its lower valley a
short distance. Jesuits, who in the
interests of trade, as well as re-
ligion, went alone and unarmed, suc-
ceeded the Francisians in 1633. Three
of these Jesuits suffered martyrdom
at the hands of the Mohawks. The
captivity and fate of Jogues exemplify
the persistence of the Jesuits and the_
heroism with which thej' met death.
In 1642 he and and a number of others
were captured by Iroquois on the St.
Lawrence. They came into the hands
of the Mohawks near Lake George and
were compelled to run the gauntlet.
On reaching the villages of the Mo-
hawks, Jogues was made to run the
gauntlet twice more for their amuse-
ment, agonizing a white man being
then a novelty to the savages. During
his captivity he was frequently tor-
tured with the most heartless cruelty.
His fingers and toes were removed
joint by joint and his body and limbs
mutilated with burning sticks and hot
irons. He suffered in this way for 15
months, when, through the influence
of the Dutch, he was released and re-
turned to France. He came back to
the Mohawk in 1646 to prosecute his
missionary work. The savages did not
take kindly to him or his teachings
and he was put to death by the most
excruciating tortures, the Indians of
course, being masters of the knowl-
edge of every conceivable pain and
agony which could be inflicted on the
human body. The site of this martyr-
dom was at the Mohawk village of
Caughnawaga, where Fonda now
stands. The Jesuits kept up their

missionary work on these same sav-
ages and finally, in 1670, converted
them and induced them to move to
Canada.

In 1659, the Mohawks, suffering from
their conflicts with the French and
from the crippling of their warriors by
the sale of liquor to them by the Dutch,
sent a delegation to Albany asking
that the sale of spirits be suppressed
among them and for aid against their
enemies. A council concerning these
matters was held between the Dutch
and Mohawks at Caughnawaga in
1659, which was the first ever held in
the Mohawk country. The governor
of Canada, in 1666, tried to destroy
the Mohawks, but only succeeded in
burning their villages, as the warriors
took to the woods. Troubles between
the Mohicans and Mohawks followed,
without much advantage to either.
The Iroquois, including the Mohawks,
were thoroughly won over to the En-
glish side by Gov. Dongan in 1684. In
1690 the French and Indians descended
on Schenectady and burned that town;
60 people were killed and 27 captured,
a few of the survivors escaping
through the deep snow to Albany. In
1693 Count Frontenac captured the
lower and middle Mohawk castles
without much trouble, but had a hard
fight at the upper castle; 300 Mohawks
were taken prisoners. The people of
Schenectady failed to warn their In-
dian neighbors, which greatly incensed
them. Schuyler, with the Albany mi-
litia, pursued this French party and
retook 50 Mohawk captives. For the
last half century of the tribal exist-
ence of the Mohawks in the valley,
they had but two castles, one called
Canajoharie, situated at the present
Indian Castle, in the town of Danube,
Herkimer county, and the other, called
Dyiondarogon, on the lower or east
bank of the Schoharie creek at its
junction with the Mohawk.

The first white valley settlement was
by the Dutch in 1663 at Schenectady,
under the Dutch rule of the colony.
The next west of Schenectady was
that of Heinrich Frey at Palatine
Bridge in 1688. Their country, de-
vastated by war, in 1708, a large body

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

of German immigrants, from, the Pal-
atinate on the Rhine, landed in New
York and were settled on the Hudson,
where their treatment by the province
is open to great criticism. In 1711
their number was said to be 1,761, but
they had no idea of remaining in their
deplorable condition. In the expedi-
tion of Col. Nicholson for the reduc-
tion of Canada in 1711, 300 Palatines
• enlisted to escape their condition of
almost servitude. In 1711 some of
them moved to the Schoharie valley
and some are supposed to have settled
in Palatine about that date. They are
said to have threaded on foot an in-
tricate Indian trail, bearing upon their
backs their worldly possessions, con-
sisting of "a few rude tools, a scanty
supply of provisions, a meagre ward-
robe, and a small number of rusty fire-
arms." In 1723 numbers of the Pala-
tines emigrated to Pennsylvania,
others moved up and settled in the
districts of Canajoharie and Palatine
and along the Mohawk, and by 1725
there were settlements of these Ger-
mans extending up the river from
the "Noses" to German Flats, the east-
ern part of the valley being settled by
Dutch farmers.

October 19, 1723, the Stone Arabia
patent was granted to 27 Palatines,
who, with their families, numbered 127
persons. The tract conveyed by this
deed contained 12,700 acres. The
names of these pioneer settlers of the
district which was later to become
Palatine were: Digert, Schell, Cremse,
Garlack, Dillinbeck, Emiger, Vocks,
Lawyer, Feink, Frey, Diegert, Copper-
noil, Peiper, Seibert, Casselman, Fink,
Ingolt, Erchart, Nelse.

The story of the Mohawk valley
from 1738 to 1772, the date of the for-
mation of Tryon county, is largely the
biography of that picturesque figure,
Sir William Johnson. In order that
the reader may better understand
the subsequent history of the Can-
ajohar'e and Palatine districts, the
following account is given of Sir Wil-
liam's life, taken from Beers' history:

"Sir William Johnson was born at
Warrentown in the county of Down,
Ireland, in 1715. In 173S, at the age

of 23, he was sent into the Mohawk
valley to superintend a large estate,
the title to which had been acquired
by his uncle, Sir Peter Warren, a Brit-
ish admiral. This tract containing
some 15,000 acres, lay along the south
bank of the Mohawk near the mouth
of Schoharie creek, and mostly within
the present town of Florida. It was
called, from its proprietor, Warrens-
bush. Here Johnson came to promote
his uncle's interests by the sale of
small farms and his own interests by
acquiring and cultivating land for him-
seif, and their joint interests by keep-
ing a store in which they were part-
ners. In 1743 he became connected
with the fur trade at Oswego and de-
rived a great revenue from this and
other dealings with the Indians. Hav-
ing- early resolved to remain in the
Mohawk valley^ he applied himself ear-
nestly to the study of the character
and language of the natives. By freely
mingling with them and adopting their
habits when it suited his interests, he
soon gained their good will and con-
fidence, and gradually .acquired an as-
cendancy over them never possessed
by any other European. A few years
after Johnson's arrival on the Mohawk
he purchased a tract of land on the
north side of the river. In 1744 he
built a gristmill on a small stream
flowing into the Mohawk from the
north, about three miles west of the
present city of Amsterdam. He also
erected a stone mansion at this place
for his own residence, calling it Fort
Johnson. [This fine old building still
stands and bears its own name, which
it has also given to the town about it
and the ra'lroad station there.] John-
son also bought, from time to time,
great tracts of land north of the Mo-
hawk, and at some distance from it,
mostly within the present limit of Ful-
ton county. He subsequently became
possessed, by gift from the Indians
which was confirmed by the Crown, of
the great tract of land in what is now
Herkimer county, known as the Royal
Grant.

"The Mohawk river early became
the great thoroughfare toward Lake
Ontario for the Colonists in prosecut-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ing their trade with the Indians. Gov.
Burnet realized the importance of con-
trolling the lake for the purpose of
commerce and resistance to the en-
croachments of the French and ac-
cordingly established in 1722 a trading
post and in 1727 a fort at Oswego. The
French met this measure by the con-
struction of defenses at Niagara, to
intercept the trade from the upper
lakes. This movement was ineffectu-
ally opposed by the Iroquois, who, to
obtain assistance from the English,
gave a deed of their territory to the
King of England, who was to protect
them in the possession of it. To de-
fend the frontier, which was exposed
to invasions by the French, especially
after their erection of the fortification
of Crown Point, settlements were pro-
posed and Capt. Campbell, a Highland
chief, came over in 1737 to view the
lands offered, which were 30,000 acres.
Four hundred Scotch adults came over
and many of them settled in and about
Saratoga, becoming the pioneers of
that section, as the Palatines were of
the upper half of the Mohawk. This
settlement was surprised by French
and Indians in 1745 who burned all
the buildings and killed or captured
almost the whole population, 30 fami-
lies being massacred. The village of
Hoosic was similarly destroyed, and
consternation prevailed in the outlying
settlements, many of the people fleeing
to Albany. The Six Nations wavered
in their attachment to the English.
At this juncture. Sir William Johnson
was entrusted with the sole manage-
ment of the Iroquois. [He succeeded
Col. Schuyler of Albany, the former
Indian commissioner.] It is his ser-
vices in this most important and deli-
cate position, wherein he stood for a
large part of his life as the mediator
between two races, whose position and
aims made them almost inevitably
hostile, that constitutes his strongest
claim to lasting and favorable remem-
brance. His knowledge of the lan-
guage, customs and manners of the
Indians, and the complete confidence
which they always reposed in him,
qualified him for this position. A high
officer of his government, he was also

in 1746 formally invested by the Mo-
hawks with the rank of a chief in that
nation, to whom he was afterward
known as Warraghegagey. In Indian
costume he shortly after led the tribe
to a council at Albany. He was ap-
pointed a colonel in the British ser-
vice about this time, and by his di-
rection of the Colonial troops and the
Iroquois warriors, the frontier settle-
ments were to a great extent saved
from devastation by the French and
their Indian allies, the settlements to
the north of Albany, being an unhappy
exception, while occasional murders
and scalpings occurred even along the
Mohawk. Johnson's influence with the
Indians was increased by his having a
Mohawk woman, Molly Brant, a sister
of the famous Chief Joseph Brant, liv-
ing with him as his wife the latter part
of his life.

"Peace nominally existed between
France and England from 1748 to 1756,
but hostilities between their American
colonies broke out as early as 1754. In
the following year, 1755, Col. Johnson
was appointed a major general and led
tlie expedition against Crown Point
which resulted in the distastrous de-
feat of the French near Lake George.
At the same time with his military
promotion he was reappointed super-
intendent of Indian affairs, having re-
signed that office in 1750, on account of
the neglect of the government to pay
some of his claims. On resuming the
superintendency, General Johnson
held a council with the Iroquois at his
house, Fort Johnson, which resulted in
about 250 of their warriors following
him to Lake George. The victory there
gained was the only one in a generally
disastrous year, and General John-
son's services were rewarded by a bar-
onetcy and the sum of £5,000 voted by
Parliament. He was also thereafter
paid £600 annually as the salary of
his office over the Indians.

"In the spring of 1756 measures were
taken for fortifying the portages be-
tween Schenectady and Oswego, by
way of the Mohawk, Wood creek, One-
ida lake and the Oswego river, with a
view to keeping open communication
between Albany and the fort at Os-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

wego. The latter was in danger of be-
ing taken by the French. Tardily
moved the provincial authorities and
it was but a few days before Oswego
was invested that Gen. Webb was sent
with a regiment to reinforce the garri-
son and Sir William Johnson, with two
battalions of militia and a body of In-
dians, shortly followed. Before Webb
reached Oneida lake, he was inform-
ed that the besieged post had surren-
dered, and he promptly turned about
and fled down the Mohawk to German
Flats, where he met Johnson's force.
The fort at Oswego was demolished by
the French, greatly to the satisfaction
of most of the Iroquois, who had al-
ways regarded it with alarm, and who
now made treaties with the victors;
and the Mohawk valley, exposed to the
enemy was ranged by scalping parties
of Canadian savages.

"The Mohawks, through the influ-
ence of Sir William Johnson, remained
faithful to the English. The Baronet,
with a view to counteract the impres-
sion made upon the Six Nations by
the French successes, summoned them
to meet him in council at Fort John-
son, in June, 1756. Previous to their
assembling a circumstance occurred
which rendered negotiations at once
necessary and less hopeful. A party
of Mohawks, while loitering around
Fort Hunter, became involved in a
quarrel with some soldiers of the gar-
rison, resulting in some of the Indians
being severely wounded. The Mo-
hawk tribe felt extremely revengeful,
but Johnson succeeded in pacifying
them and winning over the Oneidas
and Tuscaroras to the English inter-
est. In the beginning of August, 1756,
Sir William Johnson led a party of In-
dian warriors and militia to the relief
of Fort William Henry at the head of
Lake George, which was besieged by
Montcalm; but on reaching Fort Ed-
ward his progress was arrested by the
cowardice of Gen. Webb, who was
there in command, and who used his
superior authority to leave the besieg-
ed fortress to its fate, which was a
speedy surrender. The provincials,
thoroughly disgusted by the disasters
incurred through incompetency and

cowardice of their English officers, now
deserted in great numbers, and the In-
dians followed suit.

"Soon after the capture of Fort Wil-
liam Henry, rumors gained circulation
that a large force of French and In-
dians was preparing to invade the set-
tlements along the Mohawk. The Pal-
atines who had settled on the Burnets-
field Patent, were evidently most ex-
posed, and feeling but poorly protect-
ed by what fortifications there were
among them, they were several times
during the autumn on the point of de-
serting their dwellings and removing
to the settlements further down the
river which were better defended. The
ruinors seeming to prove groundless,
they became careless and finally neg-
lected all precautions against an at-
tack. Meanwhile an expedition of
about 300 Canadian, French and In-
dians, under command of one Belletre,
came down from Canada by way of the
Black river, and at 3 o'clock in the
morning of Nov, 12, 1756, the Palatine
village, at the present site of Herki-V_-
mer, was surrounded. This settlement
contained 60 dwellings and 4 block-
houses and the inhabitants were
aroused by the horrid warwhoop,
which was the signal of attack. The
invaders rushed upon the blockhouses
and were met with an active fire of
musketry. The little garrison soon
seemed to become panic stricken, both
by the overwhelming numbers and the
bloodcurdling yells of the savages and
the active fighting of the French. The
mayor of the village, who was in com-
mand, opened the door of one block-
house and called for quarter. The gar-
risons of the other blockhouses follow-
ed his example. These feeble defences,
with all the other buildings in the set-
tlement, were fired and the inhabi-
tants, in attempting to escape were
tomahawked and scalped. About 40 of
the Germans were thus massacred, and l
more than 100 persons, men, women
and children, were carried into cap-
tivity by the marauders :is they retired
laden with booty. This they did not
do, until they had destroyed a great
amount of grain and provisions, and
as Belletre reported, slaughtered 3,000

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

cattle, as many sheep, and 1,500 horses
[figures now generally supposed to be
exaggerated beyond any semblance of
truth.]

"Although the marauders hastily
withdrew the entire valley was thrown
into panic. Many of the inhabitants of
the other Mohawk settlements hasten-
ed to send their goods to Albany and
Schenectady with the intention of fol-
lowing them, and for a time the upper
towns were threatened with entire de-
sertion. The Palatine • settlement at
Fort Herkimer, near the one whose
destruction has been related, was sim-
ilarly visited in April, 1758. Lieut.
Herkimer was here in command. The
militia, under Sir William Johnson,
rendezvoused at Canajoharie, but the
enemy withdrew and did not after ap-
pear in force in this quarter. About
(^ this time Johnson, with 300 Indian

warriors, chiefly Mohawks, joined
Abercrombie's expedition against
Crown Point, where the English were
disastrously repulsed. Fear again
reigned in the Mohawk valley but the
French did not follow up their advan-
tage in this quarter.

"In spite of this disaster, the suc-
cesses of the English, elsewhere in
1758, made so favorable an impression
on the Six Nations, that Sir William
Johnson was enabled to bring nearly
1,000 warriors to join Gen. Prideaux's
expedition against Niagara in the fol-
lowing summer, which the Baronet
conducted to a successful issue after
Prideaux's death by the accidental ex-
plosion of a shell. Sir William in 1760,
led 1,300 Iroquois warriors in Gen.
Amherst's expedition against Montreal
which extinguished the French power
in America."

Sir William removed in 1763 to
Johnstown where he built himself a
residence and buildings on his great
estate. Here grew up the county seat
of the new and great county of Tryon,
formed in 1772, and here he died, as
elsewhere described, in 1774. Sir Wil-
liam Johnson was perhaps the most
remarkable man of the many who fig-
ure in the record of Tryon county.
Nothing in the state's history is more
interesting than this spot of civiliza-

tion in a vast, savage wilderness, pre-
sided over by an Irish gentleman who
was at once a benevolent dictator and
a virtual regent over a territory larger
than some famous kingdoms of his-
tory, and over a white people strug-
gling toward civilization and the red
men who were trying to keep their
wild domains for their hunting
grounds.

The well known story of how John-
son became possessed of the Royal
Grant deserves a place here. Sir Wil-
liam Johnson obtained over 60,000
acres of choice land, now lying chiefly
in Herkimer county, north of the Mo-
hawk, in the following manner: The
Mohawk sachem, Hendrick, being at
the baronet's house, saw a richly em-
broidered coat and coveted it. The
next morning he said to Sir William:

"Brother, me dream last night."

"Indeed, what did my red brother
dream" asked Johnson.

"Me dream that coat be mine."

"It is yours," said the shrewd Irish
baronet.

Not long afterward Sir William vis-
ited the chief, and he too, had a dream.

"Brother, I dreamed last night," said
Johnson,

"What did my pale-faced brother
dream'.'" asked Hendrick.

"I dreamed that this tract of land
was mine," describing a square bound-
ed on the south by the Mohawk, on
the east by Canada creek, and north
and west by objects equally well
known.

Hendrick was astounded. He saw
the enormity of the request, but was
not to be outdone in generosity. He
sat thoughtfully for a moment and
then said, "Brother, the land is yours,
but you must not dream again."

The title was confirmed by the Brit-
ish government and the tract was
called the Royal Grant.

King Hendrick (also called the
Great Hendrick) occupied, in the
early eighteenth century, a position in
the Mohawk tribe, similar to that held
by Brant at the time of the Revolution.
Hendrick was born about 1680 and
generally lived at the upper Mohawk

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

castle (in Danube), being thus a resi-
dent of the old Canajoharie district.
He stood high in the estimation of Sir
William Johnson and was one of the
most active and sagacious sachems of
his time. Hendrick, with a large body
of Iroquois, accompanied Johnson on
his Lake George expedition and was
killed in the action (Sept. 8, 1755)
which resulted in a victory against the
French and Indians under Baron
Dieskau. Prior to this battle, Johnson
determined to send out a small party
to meet Dieskau's advance and the
opinion of Hendrick was asked. He
shrewdly said: "If they are to fight
they are too few; if they are to be
killed they are too many." His objec-
tion to the proposition to separate
them into three divisions was quite as
sensibly and laconically expressed.
Taking three sticks and putting them
together, he remarked, "Put them to-
gether and you can't break them. Take
them one by one and you can break
them easily." Johnson was guided by
the opinion of Hendrick and a force of
1,200 men in one body under Col. Wil-
liams was sent out to meet the French
and Indians. Before commencing their
march, Hendrick mounted a gun-car-
riage and harangued his warriors in a
strain of eloquence which had a pow-
erful effect upon them. He was then
over 70 years old. His head was cov-
ered with long white locks and every
warrior loved him with the deepest
veneration. Lieut.-Col. Pomeroy, who
was present and heard this Indian ora-
tion, said that, although he did not
understand a word of the language,
such was the animation of Hendrick,
the fire of his eye, the force of his ges-
tures, the strength of his emphasis,
the apparent propriety of the inflec-
tions of his voice, and the natural ap-
pearance of his whole manner, that he
himself was more deeply affected by
this speech than with any other he
had ever heard. In the battle which
followed, resulting in the rout of the
Canadian force, Hendrick was killed,

Baron Dieskau was mortally wounded
and Johnson was wounded in the
thigh. Lossing speaks of Gen John-
son's conduct in this campaign as
"careless and apathetic." Hendrick
visited England and had his portrait
painted in a full court dress which was
presented to him by the king. This
Mohawk sachem is one of the greatest
characters in the history of the re-
markable tribe of savage residents of
this valley. In 1754, commissioners
from the different colonies met at Al-
bany to consider plans for a general
colonial alliance, and to this confer-
ence the Six Nations were invited.
This Albany council was the initial
step in the formation of the United
States of America. Hendrick attended
and delivered a telling speech in ref-
erence to the inefficient military pol-
icy of the British governors. This ad-
dress shows the frankness and com-
mon sense of the old warrior and is
reported as follows:

"Brethren, we have not as yet con-
flrined the peace with them. (Mean-
ing the French-Indian allies.) 'Tis
your fault, brethren, we are not
strengthened by conquest, for we
should have gone and taken Crown
Point, but you hindered us. We had
concluded to go and take it, but were
told it was too late, that the ice would
not bear us. Instead of this you burn-
ed your own fort at Sarraghtogee
[near old Fort Hardy] and ran away
from it, which was a shame and scan-
dal to you. Look about your country
and see; you have no fortifications
about you — no, not even to this city.
'Tis but one step from Canada hither,
and the French may easily come and
turn you out of doors. Brethren, you
were desirous we should open our
minds and our hearts to you; look at
the French, they are men — they are
fortifying everywhere; but, we are
ashamed to say it, you are like women,
bare and open, without any fortifica-
tions."

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

CHAPTER III.

1774— Johnson Hall— Sir William, Sir

John, Joseph and Molly Brant.

While Johnstown was not in the
districts of either Canajoharie or Pal-
atine, but was located in the Mohawk
district, still it was the county seat
and thus of importance to all of
Tryon. The influence of the John-
son party was so strong before
the Revolution and they formed such
a large element of the Tory invaders
of the valley that a glance at the
Johnson Hall of pre-Revolutionary
times is in order. This was the real
seat of government in Tryon county.
From the following standard accounts
may readily be gained the secret of
Sir William Johnson's tremendous
popularity with the Indians and with
all classes of the settlers. Prior to
the Revolution Johnson Hall was the
center of the political and social life of
the county and for the people of its
five districts of Mohawk, Canajoharie,
Palatine, German Flats and Kingsland.

Beer's History of Montgomery and
Fulton Counties (1878) gives the fol-
lowing account of Johnson Hall and the
life about it prior to the death of Sir
William Johnson in 1774: "After a res-
idence of 24 years in the eastern part
of the present county of Montgomery
[at Fort Johnson], during which he
had gained an immense estate by the
profits of trade and the generosity of
his Indian neighbors and had won a
baronetcy by his successful campaign
against the French and their Indian
allies in 1755, Sir William removed to
a stately mansion finished by him in
the spring of 1763. The motive as-
signed for the baronet's removal to
this neighborhood is the promotion of
settlements on his large domains here-
abouts, on which he had already set-
tled over one hundred families, gen-
erally leasing but sometimes selling
the land. Among those to whom he
leased, with the supposed purpose of
establishing a baronial estate for his
descendants, were Dr. William Adams;
Gilbert Tice, innkeeper; Peter Young,
miller; William Phillips, wagon-

maker; James Davis, hatter; Peter
Yost, tanner; Adrian Van Sickler,
Maj. John Little and Zephaniah
Bachelor.

"Johnson Hall, as Sir William John-
son named his new residence, at
Johnstown, was at that time one of
the finest mansions in the state out-
side of New York city. During its
eleven years occupancy, like his for-
mer home on the Mohawk, it was a
place of frequent resort for his Indian
friends for grave councils and for less
serious affairs. Here at the Hall,
Johnson had the Indiana hold annu-
ally a tournament of their national
games. Concerning this, Gov. Sey-
mour wrote: 'It was from this spot
that the agents went forth to treat
with the Indians of the west, and keep
the chain of friendship bright. Here
came the scouts from the forests and
lakes of the north to tell of any dan-
gerous movements of the enemy. Here
were written the reports 1o the Crown,
which were to shape the policy of na-
tions; and to this place were sent the
orders that called upon the settlers
and savages to go out upon the war
path.' Among the more illustrious
guests of Colonial times, who divided
with the Iroquois braves, the hospitali-
ties of Johnson Hall were: Lady
O'Brian, daughter of tho Earl of II-
chester; Lord Gordon, whom Sir John
Johnson accompanied to England,
where he was knighted; Sir Henry
Moore, governor of New York; Gov.
Franklin of New Jersey, and other Co-
lonial dignitaries. [Johnson Hall is
still (1912) standing at Johnstown and
is a most interesting place of resort
for those who care for matters con-
cerning Colonial New York and its
life.] It is a wooden building sixty
feet in length by forty In width, and
two stories high, facing southeast-
wardly across lands sloping to the ad-
joining creek, on the higher ground
beyond which the city stands. A
spacious hall, fifteen feet wide crossed
it in the center, into which on each
floor opened large and lofty rooms
wainscotted with pine panels and
heavy carved work. At either end of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the northwestern wall, a little apart
from the house stood a square stone
structure, loopholed, to serve as a
blockhouse for the defense of the Hall.
They were part of the fortifications,
including a stockade, thrown up
around the Hall in 1763, in apprehen-
sion of an attack by the western tribes
under Pontiac.

"Whatever time Sir William's official
duties left him, was actively employed
in the improvement of his estate and
the condition of agriculture in the set-
tlement. We find him obtaining su-
perior seed oats from Saybrook, Conn.,
scions for grafting from Philadelphia,
fruit trees from New London and
choice seed from England. He de-
lighted in horticulture and had a fa-
mous garden and nursery to the south
of the Hall. He was the first to in-
troduce sheep and blooded horses in
the Mohawk valley. Fairs were held
under his supervision at Johnstown,
the baronet paying the premiums. His
own farming was done by ten or fif-
teen slaves under an overseer named
Flood. They and their families lived
in cabins built for them across Caya-
dutta creek from the Hall. They
dressed very much like the Indians,
but wore coats made from blankets
on the place. Sir William's legal af-
fairs were conducted by a lawyer-
secretary named Lefferty, who was the
county surrogate at the time of John-
son's death. A family physician nam-
ed Daly was retained by the baronet,
serving also as his social companion
in numerous pleasure excursions. A
butler, a gardener, a tailor and a black-
smith were among the employes at the
Hall, across the road from which the
last two had shops.

"Sir William took a constant and
lively interest in the welfare of his
tenants, not only extending his bounty
to their material needs, but providing
for their spiritual and intellectual
wants. One of his devices for their
entertainment was the institution of
'sport days' at the Hall, at which the
yeomanry of the neighborhood com-
peted in the field sports of England,
especially boxing and footracing. In

the latter the contestants sometimes
ran with their feet in bags [the mod-
ern sack race] and more amusement
was furnished by horse races in which
the riders faced backward; by the
chase of the greased pig and the
climbing of the greased pole; and by
the efforts, of another class of com-
petitors, to make the wryest face and
sing the worst song, the winner being
rewarded with a bearskin jacket and
a few pounds of tobacco. A bladder
of Scotch snuff was awarded to the ,
greatest scold in a contest between
two old women.

"Johnson died July 11, 1774, aged 59
years. He had long been liable to at-
tacks of dysentery. In combating his
disease he had, in 1767, visited and
drunk of the spring, now famous as
the High Rock of Saratoga. He is be-
lieved to have been the first white
man to visit this spring, whose medi-
cal virtues had been reported to him
by the Mohawks, a band of whom ac-
companied him to the spot, bearing
him part of the way through the wil-
derness on a litter. His cure was only
partial but even that becoming known,
was the foundation of the popularity
of the Saratoga springs. At the time
of Sir William's death, the Indians
were exasperated over the outrages
committed upon them by the Ohio
frontiersmen, including the butchery
of the famous Logan's kindred. The
Iroquois had come with an indignant
complaint to Johnson Hall. On the
day the baronet died, he addressed
them for over two hours under a burn-
ing sun. Immediately after he was
taken with an acute attack of his mal-
ady and shortly died. Johnson had
prophesied that he would never live to
take part in the struggle which all saw
was then impending.

"The baronet's funeral took place on
the Wednesday following his death
and the pall bearers included Gov.
Franklin of New Jersey and the judges
of the New York supreme court.
Among the cortege of 2,000 people who
followed the remains to their burial,
under the chancel of the stone church

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

which Sir William had erected in the
village, were the 600 Indians who had
gathered at the Hall. These, on the
next day, performed their ceremony of
condolence before the friends of the
deceased, presenting symbolic belts of
wampum with an appropriate ad-
dress."

Lossing in his "Pictorial Field Book
of the Revolution," says of Johnson
and Johnson's Hall: "Here Sir Wil-
liam lived in all the elegance and com-
parative power of a English baron of
the Middle Ages. *******
***** His Hall was his castle
and around it. beyond the wings a
heavy stone breastwork, about twelve
feet high, was thrown up. Invested
with the power and influence of an
Indian agent of his government in its
transactions with the Confederated Six
Nations, possessed of a fine person
and dignity of manners, and a certain
style of oratory that pleased the In-
dians, he acquired an ascendancy over
the tribes never before held by a white
man. When in 1760, General Amherst
embarked at Oswego on his expedi-
tion to Canada, Sir William Johnson
brought to him at that place, 1,000 In-
dian warriors of the Six Nations,
which was the largest number that
had ever been seen in arms at one
time in the cause of England. He
made confidants of many of the chiefs,
and to them was in the habit of giving
a diploma testifying to their good con-
duct. His house was the resort of the
sachems of the Six Nations for coun-
sel and for trade, and there the pres-
ents, sent out by his government, were
annually distributed to the Indians. On
these occasions he amused himself and
gratified his guests by fetes and
games, many of which were highly
ludicrous. Young Indians and squaws
were often seen running foot races or
wrestling for trinkets, and feats of
astonishing agility were frequently
performed by the Indians of both
sexes. ***** Sir William had
two wives, although they were not
made so until they had lived long with
the baronet. Simms says that his first
wife was a young German girl, who

according to the custom of the times,
had been sold to a man named Phil-
lips living in the Mohawk valley, to
pay her passage money to the captain
of the emigrant ship in which she
came to this country. She was a hand-
some girl and attracted considerable
attention. A neighbor of Sir William,
who had heard him express a deter-
mination never to marry, asked him
why he did not get the pretty German
girl for a housekeeper. He replied "I
will." Not long afterward the neigh-
bor called at Phillips's and inquired
where the 'High Dutch' girl was.
Phillips replied, 'Johnson, that tammed
Irishman came tother day and offered
me five pounds for her, threatening to
horsewh'p me and steal her if I would
not sell her. I thought five pounds
petter than a flogging and took it, and
he's got the gal.' She was the mother
of Sir John Johnson and two daugh-
ters, who became the wives respec-
tively of Guy Johnson and Daniel
Claus. These two girls, who were
left by their dying mother to the care
of a friend, were educated almost in
solitude. That friend was the widow
of an officer who was killed in battle,
and, retiring from the world, devoted
her whole time to the care of these
children. They were carefully in-
structed in religious duties, and in
various kinds of needlework, but were
themselves kept entirely from society.
At the age of sixteen, they had never
seen a lady, except their mother and .
her friend, or a gentleman, except Sir
William, Avho visited their room daily.
Their dress was not conformed to the
fashions, but always consisted of
wrappers of finest chintz over green
silk petticoats. Their hair, which was
long and beautiful, was tied behind
with a simple band of ribbon. After
their marriage they soon acquired the
habits of society, and made excellent
wives. When she [the German wife]
was on her deathbed Sir William was
married to her in order to legitimate
her children. After her death, her
place was supplied by Molly Brant,
sister of the Mohawk sachem, by
whom he had several children. To-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ward the close of his life, Sir William
married her in order to legitimate her
children also, and her descendants are
now some of the most respected peo-
ple in upper Canada. Sir William's
first interview and acquaintance with
j-jgj. * * * have considerable ro-
mance. She was a very sprightly and
beautiful girl, about sixteen, when he
first saw her at a militia muster. One
of the field officers, riding upon a fine
horse came near her and, by way of
banter, she asked permission to mount
behind. Not supposing she could per-
form the exploit, he said she might.
At the word, she leaped upon the crup-
per with the agility of a gazelle. The
horse sprang off at full speed, and
clinging to the officer, her blanket fly-
ing and her dark hair streaming in
the wind, she flew about the parade
ground as swift as an arrow. The
baronet, who was a witness of the
spectacle, admiring the spirit of the
young squaw and becoming enamored
of her person, took her home as his
wife. According to Indian customs,
this act made her really his wife, and
in all her relations of wife and mother
she was very exemplary."

Joseph Brant was the strongest sup-
porter of the Tory cause among the Iro-
quois. He was a fuU-booded Mohawk.
His father was a chief of the Onon-
daga nation and had three sons in
the army Avith Sir William Johnson,
under King Hendrick, in the battle at
Lake George in 1755. Joseph Brant,
his youngest son, whose Indian name
was Thayendanegea, which signified a
bundle of sticks or, in other words,
strength, was born on the banks of
the Ohio in 1742, whither his parents
immigrated from the Mohawk valley.
His mother returned to Canajoharie
[district] with Mary or Molly and
Thayendanegea or Joseph. His father
Tehowaghwengaraghkwin, a chief of
the Wolf tribe of the Mohawks, seems
to have died in the Ohio country. Jo-
seph's mother, after her return, mar-
ried an Indian named Carrabigo
(news-carrier), whom the whites
named Barnet; but by way of contrac-

tion, he was called Bartit and finally,
Brant. Thayendanegea became known
as Brant's Joseph or Joseph Brant.
Sir William Johnson sent the young
Mohawk to the school of Dr. Whee-
lock of Lebanon Crank (now Colum-
bia), Connecticut, and, after he was
well educated, employed him as secre-
tary and as agent in public affairs.
He was employed as missionary in-
terpreter from 1762 to 1765 and exert-
ed himself for the religious instruction
of the tribe. When the Revolution
broke out. he attached himself to the
British cause, and in 1775 left the Mo-
hawk valley, went to Canada and fln-
ally to England, where his education,
and his business and social connec-
tion with Sir William Johnson, gave
him free access to the nobility. The
Earl of Warwick commissioned Rom-
ney, the eminent painter, to make a
portrait of him for his collection, and "
from this celebrated painting most of
the pictures of Brant have been repro-
duced. Throughout the Revolution, at
the head of the Indian forces, he was
engaged in warfare chiefly upon the
border settlements of New York and
Pennsylvania, in connection with the
Johnsons and Butlers. He held a
colonel's commission from the King
but he is generally called Captain
Brant. After the peace in 1783, Brant
again visited England, and on return-
ing to America, devoted himself to the
social and religious improvement of
the Mohawks who were settled upon
the Grand River in upper Canada up-
on lands procured for them by Brant
from Haldimand, governor of the
province. This territory embraced six
miles on both sides of the river from
its mouth to its source. He translated
the Gospel of St. Mark into the Mo-
hawk language, and in many ways his
efforts, for the uplifting of his people,
were successful. He died at his resi-
dence at the head of Lake Ontario,
Nov. 24, 1807, aged 65.

Sir John Johnson was the son of Sir
William Johnson by his German wife.
He was born in 1742 and succeeded to
his father's title and estate in 1774.

THE STOEY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

He was unsocial and without any of
his father's brilliant cleverness. Soon
after the close of the war, Sir John
went to England and on returning in
1785, settled in Canada. He was ap-
pointed superintendent and inspector
general of Indian affairs in North
America and for several years he was
a member of the Canadian legislative
council. To compensate him for the
loss of his Tryon county property
through confiscation, the British gov-
ernment made him several grants of
land. He died at the house of his
daughter, Mrs. Bowes, in Montreal, in
1830, aged 88 years. His son, Adam
W"'^ Gordon Johnson, succeeded him in his
title.

to Col. Butler to say that he was far
more humane than his son Walter.
He died in Canada about 1800.

John Butler was one of the leading
Tories of Tryon county during the war
of the Revolution. Before the war he
was in close official connection with
Sir William Johnson and, after his
death, with his son and nephew, Sir
John and Guy Johnson. When he fled
with the Johnsons to Canada, his fam-
ily were left behind and were subse-
quently exchanged for the wife and
children of Colonel Samuel Campbell
of Cherry Valley. He was active in
the predatory warfare that so long
distressed Tryon county, and com-
manded the 1,100 Tories and Indians
who perpetrated the infamous Wyom-
ing massacre in 1778. He was of the
Tory and Indian force that fought Sul-
livan and Clinton in the Indian country
in 1779. He accompanied Sir John
Johnson in his Schoharie and Mohawk
valley raid of 1780 which ended so
disastrously for them at Klock's Field.
After the war he went to Canada. His
property upon the Mohawk was con-
fiscated, but he was made an Indian
agent, succeeding Guy Johnson at a
salary of $2,000 per year and was
granted a pension, as a military offi-
cer, of $1,000 more. Like his son, Wal-
ter, he was detested for his cruelties
by the more honorable English officers
and, after the massacre at Wyoming,
Sir Frederic Haldimand, then Gover-
nor of Canada, sent word that he did
not wish to see him. It is but justice

CHAPTER IV.

Minden from 1720-1738 — Sir George
Clarke, Governor of the Province
of New York, Establishes a Forest
Home at Fort Plain — 1750, the Re-
formed Church and First Store Es-
tablished— 1755, a Minden Tragedy
of the French War.

The years immediately succeeding
1720, when German settlers first locat-
ed along the Mohawk in the Canajo-
harie district, was a time of land
clearing, building, and rude agricul-
ture— a period similar to that exper-
ienced in the first few decades after
settlement in all parts of the valley.
The land was cleared, rude farming
was carried on and log and stone
houses and barns were built.

The first event of importance trans-
piring, in the Canajoharie district, was
the advent of the Colonial governor of
the state. Sir George Clarke, who,
about 1738, built a summer lodge, on
the first rise of ground from the fiats
almost in the center of the present
village of Fort Plain.

At this time the Mohawk country
was still practically an unknown for-
est wilderness, with the exception of
the district immediately along the
river, which was already cleared in
spots and which was then being rap-
idly opened up and settled.

This Clarke place was a house of
two stories, with a hall passing
through the center and large square
rooms on either side. The second floor
was reached by a broad stairway, with
white oak bannisters and easy steps of
the same material. The house had a
frontage of nearly forty feet and its
walls were built of a slaty stone taken
from the bed of the neighboring Ots-
quago. The steps to the front door
were of slate also, but a limestone
step used at one of its doors still
serves its purpose. The Gov. Clarke
house was, for its time, a structure of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

considerable pretension. It is said to
have been erected by Clarke so as to
remove two sons of "fast proclivities"
from their New York city associa-
tions. For a few years the Clarke
family resided here in a commanding
position, employing a force of slaves
about the house and its plantation. At
the river's bank, the governor had a
good landing for his bateaux and
pleasure boats. Clarke brought to his
forest home several goats, then a nov-
elty in the region, and, at one time,
several of them strayed away and
were lost. They were finally found
on the high ground several miles
southwest of Fort Plain, and this spot
was afterward called Ge'ssenberg —
goat hill. The Clarke family evidently
did not stay at the^r Mohawk valley
home any great length of time and
about 1742 they abandoned the place,
which was probably never anything
more than a summer hunting and fish-
ing lodge. The house then acquired
the reputation of being haunted and
was allowed to stand empty and de-
cay. In 1807, Dr. Joshua Webster and
Jonathan Stickney, who had come into
the country shortly before from New
England, built a tannery across the
creek from the material in this old
Colonial mansion.

About 1750 George Crouse settled
next north to the Clarke property and
built a log house which was burned by
Brant in 1780. Isaac Paris later be-
came possessed of the Gov. Clarke
place, and he sold it to George Crouse
jr. The residence, occupied for many
years by the late A. J. Wagner, was
built on the cellar of the Clarke man-
sion by Col. Robert Crouse.

Sir George Clarke was acting gov-
ernor of New York state from 1736 to
1743. He was at that time reckoned
an adventurer by many and was in
constant conflict with the Colonial
state assembly. It was during his
weak administration (in 1741), and at
the time he was a resident of the
Canajoharie district, that the famous
"negro plot" excited New York city.
The baronet had an underground in-
terest in the Corry patent granted in
1737. This consisted of 25,400 acres

in the present towns of Root, Glen and
Charleston in Montgomery county
and in Schoharie county. It is
not improbable that Sir George
built his Fort Plain hunting lodge to
enable him to secretly look after his
"property," as it was being surveyed
and laid out in plots and farms for
rental at this very time.

He could not have an open' interest
in the patent as the English law for-
bade a Colonial governor being inter-
ested in grants of land made by the
government. Governor Clarke return-
ed to England in 1745 with a big
fortune "mysteriously gathered," as
one of his historians puts it. On his
way over he was captured by a French
cruiser, but was soon released. He
died in Cheshire, England, in 1763,
aged 84 years. His Montgomery and
Schoharie property was left to his two
sons, George and Edward, for whom
it is said the Fort Plain house was
bu'lt and who had remained in New
York after their father left the coun-
try. George died childless in Eng-
land and Edward died in 1744, leaving
one son, George Hyde Clarke, who
succeeded to the property. Corry sold
his share of the patent, but it was
confiscated by the state during the
Revolution, on account of the Toryism
of the owners. George Hyde Clarke
remained in New York during the
war, and, siding with the patriots, was
confirmed in the large landed posses-
sions of his father. The property de-
scended from father to son, each suc-
ceeding owner bearing the name of
George Clarke. The dissensions, in-
cendiarism and legal warfare, incident
to the breaking up of this great estate,
occurred within comparatively recent
years.

In 1750 the Reformed church of
Canajoharie was established at Sand
Hill (later Fort Plain) and about the
same time William Seeber opened his
store and became Minden's first trader.
The settlement and development of
the Minden section of the Canajoharie
district, into a fertile agricultural sec-
tion, was going forward rapidly at this

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

period and that mentioned in the fore-
going part of this chapter.

During the French and Indian war
the districts of Palatine and Can-
ajoharie had suffered but little,
although here and there scalping
parties of Indians had cut down
unfortunate settlers. One of these
incidents, of particularly tragic
character, occurred near Fort Plain in
the westerly part of the town of Min-
den. About 1755, the year of the be-
ginning of hostilities, John Markell,
who married Anna Timmerman,
daughter of a pioneer settler of St.
Johnsville, settled in the western part
of the town. Markell and his wife
left home one day, she carrying an in-
fant in her arms. They had not
gone far when they saw a party of a
dozen hostile Indian warriors ap-
proaching in the very path they were
traveling and only a few rods dis-
tant. Markell, knowing escape was
impossible, exclaimed: "Anna, unser
zeit ist aus!" (Anna, our time is up.)
The next instant he fell, a bullet pass-
ing through his body into that of his
wife. They both fell to the ground,
the child dropping from the woman's
arms, and she lay upon her face,
feigning death. Markell was at once
tomahawked and scalped. One Indian
said about the woman, "Better knock
her on the head." Another replied,
"No, squaw's dead now!" and reach-
ing down he drew his knife around her
crown, placed his knees against her
shoulders, seized her scalp with his
teeth and, in an instant, it was torn
from her head. One of the party
snatched the crying infant from the
ground by one of its legs and dashed
its brains out against a tree. The
savages did not stop to strip the vic-
tims and Mrs. Markell was left on the
ground supposedly dead. She revived
and managed to get to a neighbor's
house, where she was cared for and
recovered. She later married Chris-
tian Getman of Ephratah, where she
died in 1821 at the age of 85 years,
making her about 21 at the time of her
frightful experience. Such were the
perils that, at times, surrounded the
settlers of the New York border, and

which, twenty years later, threatened
the people even under the walls of
Fort Plain.

CHAPTER V.

1772 — Tryon County and the Canajo-
harie and Palatine Districts.

German or Dutch settlers had come
into the present town of Minden about
the year 1720 and shortly after
that date the influx of settlers, prin-
cipally Palatinate Germans, was prob-
ably quite rapid. The Indian settle-
ments in 1776 were mainly confined to
the lower Mohawk castle at Fort Hun-
ter and to the upper one at what is
now Indian Castle in the western end
of the then Canajoharie district.

Much of the confusion, attending the
names of localities in reading local
history, can be avoided by a knowl-
edge of the boundaries of the five dis-
tricts of Tryon county, which was
formed in 1772, from the county of
Albany. Most of its inhabitants then
were settled along the Mohawk river
and in the Schoharie valley but these
five districts had a tremendous extent.

The eastern border of Tryon county,
named after the governor of that day,
ran from the Pennsylvania border due
north from the Delaware river through
what is now Schoharie county and
along the eastern limits of the present
counties of Montgomery, Fulton and
Hamilton to the Canadian border and
embraced the entire state west of this
line. Instead of townships it was di-
vided into five large districts. The
most eastern of these was called
Mohawk and consisted of a strip of
the state between the east line of the
county already mentioned and a paral-
lel line crossing the Mohawk river at
the "Noses." The Palatine district ex-
tended indefinitely northward from
the river between the "Noses" on the
east and on the west a north and
south line crossing the river at Little
Falls. With the same breadth on the
opposite side of the river the Cana-
joharie district extended south to the
Pennsylvania line. North of the Mo-
hawk and west of the Palatine dis-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

trict as far as settlements extended
was the Kingsland district, while south
of the river extending westward, from
Little Falls to Fort Stanwix and south-
erly to the Pennsylvania line, was the
German Flats district. These divis-
ions were made March 24, 1772, and
were suggested by Sir William John-
son. The name of the Palatine dis-
trict was at first Stone Arabia, but
was changed to Palatine a year after
this division. All these names except
Kingsland, are retained in townships
in the counties of Herkimer and Mont-
gomery, comprising minute areas com-
pared with their original size.

The district of Palatine took its
name from the German settlers from
the Palatinate while thy.t of Canajo-
harie was derived from the name of
the famous creek. This stream's name
comes from the huge pothole located
almost at the beginning of the pic-
turesque gorge leading to the falls.
The title, Canajoharie, according to
Brant, means, in Mohawk dialect, "the
pot which washes itself." From the
foregoing it will be seen that the af-
fairs of Fort Plain are more imme-
diately concerned with the districts of
Canajoharie and Palatine, of the
county of Tryon. Also that the Revo-
lutionary name Can!ajoharie, applies
to a large district, extending over 20
miles along the river, and not to the
present comparatively small township
of that name. A reference to Canajo-
harie of that time might mean any
point in the present towns of Root,
Canajoharie, Minden or Danube, or
the districts back of these from the
river. So when Washington speaks of
going to Canajoharie he means the
military post in that district located at
Port Plain. Fort Canajoharie in 1757
was located in Danube and the upper
Mohawk village near the same place
was called the Canajoharie Castle.
Herkimer's residence was in the Cana-
joharie district near its western end
and he represented that district in
the Tryon county committee of safety
and was also the colonel of the dis-
trict's militia as well as brigadier gen-
eral of that of the entire county. A
realization of the extent and boun-

daries of the district of Canajoharie of
the Revolution will aid in acquiring
accurate knowledge of the history of
that time.

The first January Tuesday the voters
in each district were to elect a super-
visor, two assessors and one collector
of taxes. Four judges, six assistant
judges, a number of justices of the
peace, a clerk and a coroner were ap-
pointed by Governor Tryon, all but the
clerk being Sir William Johnson's
nominees. The first court of general
quarter sessions was held at Johns-
town, the county seat, on September 8,
1772. The bench consisted of Guy
Johnson, John Butler and Peter
Conyne, judges; John Johnson, Daniel
Claus, John Wells and Jelles Fonda,
assistant judges; John Collins, Joseph
Chew, Adain Loucks, John Frey, Peter

Ten Broeck and Young, justices.

It will be seen that Sir William John-
son was practically dictator of the new
county as the majority of the above
officers were his Tory henchmen. Sir
William Johnson was also major gen-
eral commanding all the militia north
of the highlands of the Hudson. He
took great pride in his militia and
their soldierly appearance. Governor
Tryon in his tour of the Mohawk val-
ley in 1772 reviewed three regiments
of Tryon county militia at Johnstown,
Burnetsfield and German Flats, re-
spectively, numbering in all 1400 men.
This military training of the Mohawk
valley men was undoubtedly of great
value to them in the following conflict.

It was almost entirely the influence
of Sir William Johnson which made
Tryon county a region unfavorable to
the cause of independence. He had
created a county seat at Johnstown
and a powerful following about him.
As Indian commissioner and general
of all the inilitia he was supreme as a
director of affairs. Johnson had prac-
tically absolute power over the Iro-
quois and an almost equally strong in-
fluence over a large portion of the
white population. His domains in the
Mohawk valley included the 66,000
acres, mostly in what is now Her-
kimer county and which in 1760 were
given him by the Mohawks, in the pes-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

session of which he was confirmed by
the crown and which led to its being
called the Royal Grant. Aside from
this his landed estate was large and
his henchmen and numerous tenantry
added to his political strength, which
was increased still further by his
great personal popularity with all
classes. By the In(7ians, not only of
the Six Nations, buc also of the west-
ern tribes, which had fallen within the
circle of his influence, the baronet was
regarded with the greatest veneration
in spite of his unassuming sociability
and his familiar manners incident to a
border life. This tremendous influ-
ence over these Indian warriors was
on his death in July, 1774, transferred
to his son, Sir John Johnson, who suc-
ceeded to his position as major general
of the militia, to his title and most of
his estate, and also to his son-in-law.
Col. Guy Johnson, who became super-
intendent of Indian affairs. The John-
sons had the added support of Molly
Brant, a Mohawk, who had been Sir
William Johnson's housekeeper and
who, with her brother, Joseph Brant,
had great influence with their tribe.
Joseph Brant had been in the service
of the elder Johnson and upon his
death became secretary to Guy John-
son. Thus a great, though diminished,
Tory influence still emanated from
Johnson Hall. Its proprietor was in
close official and political relations
with Col. John Butler, a wealthy and
influential resident of the county, and
his son Walter, whose names are in-
famous on account of their brutal and
bloody deeds during the Revolution.
The Johnson family, together with
other gentlemen of Tory inclinations,
owned large estates in the neighbor-
hood and so far controlled a belt of
the Mohawk valley as to largely pre-
vent the circulation of intelligence un-
favorable to England.

Unlike Sir William Johnson, his
successors at Johnson Hall were very
unpopular with the farming popula-
tion, which was composed in the main
of the Dutch and Palatines.

The first election in the county oc-
curred pursuant to writs issued Nov.
25, 1772. Colonel Guy Johnson and

Hendrick Frey were chosen to repre-
sent the county in the state assembly,
where they took their seats Jan. 11,
1773.

The men of the Johnson party and
others aforementioned will be found
deeply concerned in later military op-
erations around Fort Plain.

William Tryon was a native of Ire-
land and an officer in the British ser-
vice. He married Miss Wake, -a rela-
tive of the Earl of Hillsborough, sec-
retary for the colonies. Thus con-
nected, he was a favorite of govern-
ment, and was appointed lieutenant-
governor of North Carolina in 1765,
later becoming governor. In 1771 he
was called to fill the same office in
New York. The history of his admin-
istration in North Caroline is a record
of extortion, folly and crime. During
his administration in New York the
Revolution broke out and he was the
last royal governor of the state, though
nominally succeeded in office by Gen.
Robertson, when he returned to Eng-
land. His property In North Carolina
and New York was confiscated.

CHAPTER VI.

Population of Tryon in 1757 and 1776
Ft. Johnson — The Highways.

The white settlers of the five dis-
tricts of Tryon county were generally
the Dutch, who had gradually extend-
ed their settlements westward from
Schenectady and occupied the eastern
part of the county, and the Germans
from the Palatinate on the Rhine, who
had located farther west. These were
the general limits of the settlers but
the two nationalities had considerably
intermingled and intermarried prior to
the Revolution, forming an element
largely known as "Mohawk Dutch."
In the whole valley at the Revolution-
ary period the writer ventures the
opinion that, of this Teutonic popula-
tion, two-thirds were Palatine Ger-
mans and one-third were of Holland
Dutch blood. These people were not
disposed to submit to new-fledged
aristocrats who assumed a high and

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

mighty style in dealing- with the Tryon
yeomanry. This element, while it in-
cluded many Tories, was the back-
bone of the Whig party in the valley.
Before the building of Fort Plain in
1776 they had largely sided with the
American cause and had taken decided
steps for its furtherance.

There was a considerable number of
Irish and Scotch in the county, some,
as at Johnstown, being Tories while
others, as at the Cherry Valley settle-
ment, were ardent patriots for the
most part. On the eve of the Revolu-
tion and at the time of the inaugura-
tion of Fort Plain as an American out-
post, the white population of the entire
county was estimated at 10,000 and
the militia available for the patriot
cause at about 2,500 men. The Indian
population along the Mohawk may
have approximated 1,000 or even less.

At this period the only settlement in
the valley which could be dignified by
the name of town was Schenectady,
where the first river settlement had
been made by the Dutch in 1663.
There was a considerable village at
Johnstown and a Dutch hamlet at
Caughnawaga. At Cherry Valley
there was a settlement mostly of
Scotch, and at Fort Herkimer and the
Palatine village, at West Canada
creek, hamlets of Palatine Germans.
At Fort Hunter and at Sand Hill were
probably the beginnings of settle-
ments. Johnstown was assuming im-
portance, as it was made the county
seat of Tryon when it was set off from
Albany county in 1772, and it was also
the seat of the powerful Johnson party.

Everything tended against concen-
tration of settlers in towns. Almost
the entire population, with the excep-
tion of a few traders and mechanics,
was engaged in farming and clear-
ing the land. The Mohawk, in the
early days being the highway of
commerce, tended to keep the popu-
lation near it and the farms as a rule
extended back from the fiats on to the
slopes. This brought the dwellings
along the river into fairly close prox-
imity and, if we trust a French ac-
count of 1757, we will find at that early
day a surprising number of houses

noted along the Mohawk from East
Creek to Schenectady, a distance of
about 50 miles.

This old record gives .-t good idea of
the Canajoharie and Palatine districts
in the mid-eighteenth century. It
mentions that the road was "good
for all sorts of carriages" from
Fort Kouari, later Fort Herki-
mer, about opposite the mouth
of West Canada creek, in the town of
German Flats, to Fort Cannatchocari,
which was at the upper Mohawk cas-
tle, in the present town of Danube. ,
This was a stockade 15 feet high and
100 paces square. The account con-
tinues as follows: "From Fort Can-
natchocari to Fort Hunter is about 12
leagues; the road is pretty good, car-
riages pass over it; it continues along
the banks of the Mohawk river. About
a hundred houses, at greater or less
distance from one another we found
within this length of road. There are
some situated also about half a
league in the interior. The inhabi-
tants of this section are Germans who ^ --

compose a company of about 100 men.

"Fort Hunter is situated on the bor-
ders of the Mohawk river and is of
the same form as that of Cannatcho-
cari, with the exception that it is twice
as large. There is likewise a house at
each curtain. The cannon at each
bastion are from 7 to 9 pounders. The
pickets of this fort are higher than
those of Cannatchocari. There is a
church or temple in the middle of the
fort; in the interior of the fort are
also some thirty cabins of Mohawk
Indians, which is the most consider-
able village. This fort like that of
Cannatchocari has no ditch; there's
only a large swing door at the en-
trance.

"Leaving Fort Hunter, a creek
[Schoharie] is passed at the mouth of
which that fort is located. It can be
forded and crossed in batteaux in
summer, and on the ice in winter.
There are some houses outside under
the protection of the fort, in which the
country people seek shelter when they
fear or learn that an Indian or French
war party is in the field.

"From Fort Hunter to Chenectadi

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

or Corlar is seven leagues. The pub-
lic carriage way continues along the
right [south] bank of the Mohawk
river. About 20 to 30 houses are
found within this distance separated
the one from the other from about a
quarter to half a league. The inhab-
itants of this section are Dutch. They
form a company, with some other in-
habitants on the left bank of the Mo-
hawk river, about 600 [ ?] men strong."

This account puts Fort Hunter on
the wrong side of the Schoharie, an
error of the French narrator.

Possibly the "600 men" referred to
the milit'a of the town of Schenectady
and its surrounding farming territory.

The above gives an idea of the pop-
ulation then on the south side of the
river. Beginning again at the west at
East Canada creek, the writer gives a
similar account of the north side of
the Mohawk from East Canada creek
to Schenectady.

"After fording Canada creek, we
continue along the left [north] bank of
the Mohawk river and high road,
which is passable for carts, for twelve
leagues, to Col. Johnson's mansion
[at Fort Johnson]. In the whole of
the distance the soil is very good.
About five hundred houses are erected
at a distance one from the other. The
greatest number of those on the bank
of the river are built of stone, and
those at a greater distance in the in-
terior are about half a league off; they
are new settlements, built of wood.

"There is not a fort in the whole of
this distance of 12 leagues. There is
but one farmer's house, built of stone,
that is somewhat fortified and sur-
rounded with pickets. It is situate on
the banks of the river, three leagues
from where [Bast] Canada creek
empties into the Mohawk river. The
inhabitants of this country are Ger-
mans. They form four companies of
100 men each.

"Col. Johnson's mansion is situated
on the borders of the left [north]
bank of the Mohawk. It is three
stories high, built of stone, with port-
holes and a parapet and flanked
with four bastions, on which are some
small guns. In the same yard, on both

sides of the mansion, there are two
small houses. That on the right of the
entrance is a store and that on the
left is designed for workmen, negroes
and other domestics. The yard gate
is a heavy swing gate, well ironed; it
is on the Mohawk river side; from this
gate to the river there is about 200
paces of level ground. The high road
passes there. A small rivulet, coming
from the north, empties into the Mo-
hawk river, about 200 paces below the
enclosure of the yard. On this
stream there is a mill about 50 paces
distant from the house; below the mill
is the miller's house where grain and
flour are stored, and on the other side
of the creek, 100 paces from the mill,
is a barn in which cattle and fodder
are kept. One hundred and fifty paces
from Col. Johnson's mansion, at the
north side, on the left bank of the little
creek, is a little hill on which is a
small house with portholes, where or-
dinarily is kept a guard of honour of
some twenty men which serves also
as an advanced post.

"From Col. Johnson's house to
Chenectadi is counted seven leagues;
the road is good, all sorts of vehicles
pass over it. About twenty houses are
found from point to point on this road
* * * In the whole country of the
Mohawk river there are nine com-
panies of militia under Col. Johnson;
eight only remain, that of the village
of Palatines [at Herkimer] being no
longer in existence, the greater part
having been defeated by M. de Belle-
tre's detachment. Col. Johnson assem-
bles these companies when he has
news of anj^ expedition which may
concern the Mohawk river."

Here we have a good description of
the location of the settlers in a
considerablo portion of the Mohawk
valley in 1757. With the exception of
more houses and buildings and a
largely increased population, con-
ditions were probably .similar in 1776.
In addition it must be realized that
from East Creek, on both sides of the
river westward to German Flats and
beyond there was a large number of
dwellings and a considerable settle- ,
ment of Palatine Germans. The ac- ^

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

count gives us a fair idea of what had
been accomplished in the way of
erecting large farmhouses, their neces-
sary buildings, mills, and the opening
up of plantations on a considerable
sca'e in the instance of Johnson's place
at ,Fort Johnson. Similar establish-
niei'ts were present, on a somewhat
smaller plan, along the river and some
of the dwellings were undoubtedly as
large and in a way as comfortable as
those of today. As a well known in-
stance that of Gen. Herkimer can be
cited, which was built in 1764. From
this account, the population was prac-
tically composed of German and Dutch
farmers. In the Canajoharie district
there were probably, at this early date,
more than 75 houses and in the Pala-
tine district more than 400 dwellings.
Together the two districts contained
probably over 500 men liable to militia
service and possibly a population of
2,500, if the French account is correct
in its figures. The number of the
dwellings and of the population had
very largely increased by 1776, to what
extent it is difficult to estimate, but it
is not improbable that it had almost
doubled. The highways will be seen to
be fair in their condition, at least in
some parts, and much better than
would be casually supposed, and in
general civilized society in the valley
was at no low stage.

CHAPTER VII.
1772 — Tryon County People — Farming,

Religious and Social Life — Sports

and Pastimes of the Days Before the

Revolution.

There is a large element of popula-
tion in the valley today which is de-
scended from what we call the "Mo-
hawk Dutch," for want of a better
name. It has strong virtues and like
all other strains of humanity certain
deficiencies. Both were noted by
early writers. However it is difRcult
to imagine a population better suited
to stand the brunt of those early hard-
ships and struggles. They made ideal
frontiersmen, as a rule good soldiers
and founders of American institutions
and liberty in government, strong in

their political and religious ideals. If
they are, at that early date, criticised
In their farming methods or for the
number of the "tippling houses" they
supported, the hardships of turning a
great forest country into a civilized
farming section must be borne in
mind. They produced public leaders
of integrity with high, unselfish ideals
and the quality of their minds, as
shown in their acts and writings, prov-
ed them men in every sense of the
word. Necessarily of bodily strength
and vigor, the average of their mascu-
linity and equipment for true men's
work was of a standard to be envied
by the male population of today. They
showed some inclination toward learn-
ing which writers say, at the Revolu-
tion, had resulted in the establishment
of schools in many of their valley
settlements.

Both Palatines and Dutch had suf-
fered untold hardships for their re-
ligion. In defense of their Reformed
faith in their European homes they
had been murdered, robbed and per-
secuted to the utmost limit. The pres-
ence of the Palatines in their Mohawk
valley homes was largely due to these
facts. Under such circumstances they
took their religion seriously. Mostly
of the Calvinistic belief they estab-
lished Reformed churches and some of
the Lutheran faith in the valley
shortly after their settlement. At the
birth of Fort Plain, in the Canajoharie
and Palatine districts, there were Re-
formed churches at Fort Plain (1750),
at St. Johnsville (1756) and at Stone
Arabia (1711). Lutheran churches
were at Stone Arabia (established be-
tween 1711 and 1732) and at Caroga
Creek, now Palatine Church (in 1770).
Near the Canajoharie castle (now
Indian Castle) a church, largely for
the use of the Indians, had been
erected under the auspices of Sir Wil-
liam Johnson. The dominies of that
day were frequently men of strong
character and fit leaders of the spirit-
ual and intellectual life of their par-
ishioners. The labors of those of the
Reformed faith have resulted in mak-
ing the Mohawk valley one of the
strongest districts of that church. The

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

life of the Reformed church of Sand
Hill (now of Fort Plain) is closely
bound up with that of the fort built
close to it and it was just out of gun-
shot of the post that it was burned
during-, the Tory and Indian raid in
1780. Preaching in these churches was
in either the German or Dutch lan-
guage or in both at intervals. After
the Revolution English was introduc-
ed and, in some churches, preaching
was in all three languages until En-
glish supplanted the others in the
early nineteenth century.

That early farming methods in the
Mohawk valley were open to crit'cism
is shown by the following letter to the
English Society for the Promotion of
the Arts by Sir William Johnson, dated
Johnson Hall, Feb. 27, 1765. The letter
in part follows:

"The state of Agriculture in this
country is very low, and in short like-
ly to remain so to the great Detriment
of the Province, which might other-
wise draw many resources from so
extensive and valuable a Country, but
the turn of the old settlers here is not
much calculated for improvement, con-
tent with the meer necessaries of
Life, they dont chuse to purchase its
superfluities at the expence of Labour,
neither will they hazard the smallest
matter for the most reasonable pros-
pect of gain, and this principle will
probably subsist as long as that of
their equality, which is at present at
such a pitch that the conduct of one
neighbor can but little influence that
of another.

"Wheat which in my opinion must
shortly prove a drug, is in fact what
they principally concern themselves
about and they are not easily to be
convinced that the Culture of other
articles will tend more to their ad-
vantage. If a few of the Machines
made use of for the breaking of hemp
was distributed a mongst those who
have Land proper for the purpose it
might give rise to the culture of it —
or if one only properly constructed was
sent as a model, it might Stir up a
spirit of Industry amongst them, but
Seed is greatly wanted, & Cannot be
procured in these parts, and the Ger-

mains (who are most Industrious peo-
ple here) are in general in too low
circumstances to concern themselves
in anything attended with the smallest
Expence, their Plantations being as
yet in their infancy, & with regard to
the old Settlers amongst the GeriTjans
who live farther to the Westward, they
have generally adopted the Senti-
ments of the rest of the inhabitants.
The country Likewise labours under the
disadvantage of narrow, and (in many
places) bad roads, which would be still
worse did I not take care that the in-
habitants laboured to repair them ac-
cording to law. The ill Condition of
Public roads is a Great obstruction to
husbandry; the high wages of labour-
ing men, and the great number of tep-
ling houses are likewise articles which
very much want Regulation. These
disagreeable circumstances must for
some time retard the Progress of hus-
bandry. I could heartily wish I had
more leisure to attend to these neces-
sary articles of improvements to pro-
mote which my Influence and Exam-
ple should not be wanting. I have
formerly had pease very well split at
my mills, and I shall set the same for-
ward amongst the people as far as I
can. I have Likewise sent for Collec-
tions of many Seeds, and useful
grasses which I shall Encourage them
to raise, and from the great wants of
stock, even for home use, & Con-
sumption, I am doing all I can to turn
the inhabitants to raising these nec-
essary articles, for the purchase of
which, a good deal of Cash has hither
to been annually carried into the N.
England Collonies.

"Before I set the Examples, no far-
mer on the Mohock River ever raised
so much as a single Load of Hay, at
present some raise above one Hun-
dred, the like was the case in regard
to sheep, to which they were intire
strangers until I introduced them, &
I have the Satisfaction to see theni at
present possess many other articles,
the result of my former Labors for
promoting their welfare and interests.
My own tenants amounting to about
100 Families are not as yet in circum-
stances to do much, they were settled

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

at great Expence and hazard during
the heat of [French] War, and it was
principally (I mav venture to affirm,
solely) owing to their residence &
mine, that the rest of the inhabitanti
did not all abandon their settlements
at that Distressful Period; But tho'
my Tennants are considerably in my
Debt, I shall yet give them ali the as-
sistance I can for encouraging any
useful Branches of Husbandry, which
I shall contribute to promote thro'out
the rest of the Country to the utmost
of my power, and Communicate to you
any material article which may occur
upon that 'Subject.' "

At the period of this letter and in
the following decade a few grist and
saw mills and similar industries were
springing up in the valley where there
was convenient water power. This
letter gives us a vivid portrayal of one
of New York's most interesting and
sterling provincial characters, as well
as the farming conditions in the Tryon
county of that time and in its Canajo-
harie and Palatine districts.

Pioneer life was as hard as human
life could well be. It required the
strongest types of manhood, woman-
hood and even childhood to clear and
cultivate this great wooded wilderness.
First went up the log house cabins
and barns to be followed later by those
of stone and sawn lumber. After the
sturdy woodman felled the trees they
were burned of their limbs and leaves
and the ground was left strewn with
their blackened trunks. To pile these
together, when dry enough, so that
another firing would consume them
was the dirty job of "logging up." It
was largely done by "bees," to which
the frontiersmen rallied in numbers
adequate to the heavy work to be
done. Severe as that was, an after-
noon at it left the young men with
vim enough for a wrestling match, af-
ter they had rested long enough to
devour the generous supper with
which the housewife feasted them.

The grain grown on the fields thus
laboriously cleared was threshed with
the flail or by driving horses over it
and winnowed by dropping it through
a natural draft of air instead of the

artificial draft of the fanning mill.
When ready for market it was mostly
drawn to Albany, some three days be-
ing required for the journey. Rude
lumber wagons or ox carts, or wood
shod sleighs were the common vehi-
cles for all occasions. Much of the
grain also went down the river by bat-
teaux to Schenectady.

A variety of work then went on in-
doors as well as out, which long ago
ceased generally to be done in private
houses. Every good mother taught
her daughters a broad range of domes-
tic duties, from washing dishes and
log cabin floors to weaving and mak-
ing up flne linen. The home was the
factory as well and in it took place
the making from flax and wool of the
fabrics which the household needed.
The houses resounded with the hum of
the spinning wheel and loom and other
machinery which the housewives used
to make the family garments. The
entire family were proud to appear in
this goodly homespun even at church.
Itinerant shoemakers made tours of
the farmhouses, working at each place
as long as the family footgear demand-
ed, this being known as "whipping the
cat." Common brogans were worn for
the most part by the settlers. Many
of the vegetables cultivated by their
Mohawk Indian predecessors were
adopted by their German and Dutch
successors. Without tea or coffee,
they made a drink of dried peas and
sweetened it with maple sugar, the
procuring of which they learned from
the red man.

In regard to Christmas time in the
valley the missionary Kirkland wrote
as follows in his diary in 1789:

"The manner in wch. ye ppl. in yse
parts keep Xmas day in commemor'g
of the Birth of ye Saviour, as ya pre-
tend is very affect'g and strik'g. They
generally assemble for read'g pray-
ers, or Divine service — but after, they
eat drink and make merry. They al-
low of no work or servile labour on ye
day and ye following — their servants
are free — but drinking, swearing, fight-
ing and frolic'g are not only allowed,
but seem to be essential to ye joy of
ye day."

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

The most common beverages drunk
by the men of Revolutionary times
were "flip" and "kill devil." "Flip"
was made of beer brewed from malt
and hops, to which was added sugar
and liquor — the whole heated with a
hot iron. "Kill devil" was made like
flip, except that cider was substituted
for beer. The price of each was one
York shilling for a quart mug. Half
a mug usually served two persons.

Freemasonry had a foothold in the
valley prior to the Revolution and Sir
William Johnson and Col. Nicholas
Herkimer were both members of the
Johnstown lodge. Also as showing the
wilderness state of the country, it is
said that wolves were so common in
Dutchtown in the town of Minden that
sheep had to be folded nights as late
as 1773. All the wild animals of the
present Adirondack wilderness were
numerous about the Mohawk settle-
ments in their earliest days.

Schools were located in many of
the Tryon county settlements at the
beginning of the Revolution. The first
pedagogue in Dutchtown was John
Pickard. As showing the early set-
tlers' superstitions regarding sanita-
tion and medical practise it may here
be related that after Fort Willett was
built he kept school in a hut within
the palisade. Toward the close of the
war he sickened and died of some dis-
ease prevalent in the fort at that time.
A lad named Owen, living in the Henry
Sanders family, caught a live skunk,
which was set at liberty in the fort
and "the disease was stayed." After
the war, a Hessian named Glazier,
who came into the state under Bur-
goyne, kept the Dutchtown school in-
structing in both German and English.
Such instruction was probably mostly
confined to the three Rs. School pun-
ishments were extremely severe and
whipping a scholars' hands with a
ruler until they bled was no unusual
means of correction. One Palatine boy
is said to have been so whipped in
school on eighteen different occasions.

That a Tryon county woman could
handle a gun is shown by an anecdote
of the wife of the brave Captain Gar-
diner, of Oriskany fame, who lived

near Fultonville: "His wife, like many
of her sex on the frontier, on an emer-
gency, could use firearms. On some
occasion, when her husband was
away from home in the service of his
country, she saw from her house a
flock of pigeons alighting upon the
fence and ground not far off. She re-
solved to give them a salute and, has-
tily loaded an old musket, forgetting
to draw out the ramrod. She left the
house cautiously, gained a position
within close gunshot, aimed at the
pigeons on the fence, and blazed away.
To her own surprise, and that of sev-
eral of her family, who, from the win-
dow saw her fire, seven of the birds
sitting upon a rail, were spitted on the
ramrod in which condition they were
taken to the house."

As befitted frontiersmen, their sports
were rough and violent. They includ-
ed rifle contests, wrestling, foot racing
and horse racing. Horse races, on
tracks and on the river ice, were great-
ly in vogue in the latter half of the
eighteenth century, excepting the war
period. The Low Dutch of the east-
ern end of the valley were famed for
horse racing and even for running
their horses from the foot of every
hill two-thirds of the way up. Often
between Schenectady and Albany were
several farm wagons or sleighs trying
titles for leadership at the hazard of a
serious collision. Of this class of citi-
zens at Schenectady was the well-to-
do burgher Charick Van de Bogert, an
old gentleman of worthy but eccentric
character. He had a fine sleigh on
the back of which was painted in
Dutch the words, "Not to lend today
but tomorrow." He had a span of
horses named Cowper and Crown,
which he raced successfully and- which
responded intelligently to his whip sig-
nals for the start and finish of a brush
on the road. In his last illness, his
affection for his team, induced the
family to have the horses brought to
his window where he patted them and
bade them good-bye. He then turned
to a close friend who was with him
and asked him to drive the bier to the
burial plot behind his beloved team,
instead of having male bearers for

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the distance as was the valley custom.
Van de Bogert requested his friend to
touch the horses with his gad after a
certain manner at a set point in
the road and to again touch them in a
different fashion at a farther point.
Shortly after this the old gentleman
expired and his funeral arrangements
were ordered according to his wish.
The friend who drove the hearse obey-
ed the deceased's wishes as to the
whip signals. The well-trained team
responded and the worthy Dutchman
made his final earthly ride behind his
well-loved span at the racing clip in
which he delighted.

There were favorite race-courses in
the valley, near Rotterdam, at Fort
Hunter, at Conyne's tavern on the
north river side a few miles further up.
At Sand Flats, at Caughnawaga or
Fonda was one of the most frequent-
ed. In the Canajoharie-Palatine dis-
tricts there were race courses at Seeb-
ers Lane, on the flats at Canajoharie
and at George Wagner's flats in Pala-
tine. Every fall at Herkimer, horse
racing was held on the flats at that
place and it is not improbable that an-
nual meetings such as these were the
nuclei of the later county fairs. Such
events were also common in the Scho-
harie valley. There was much drink-
ing and gambling at all these races
and the crowds assembled like those
seen at county fairs.

There is every evidence that the
men of those days had mighty athletes
among them who were developed by
the hard life of the day, instead of by
modern training methods. Besides the
foregoing sports and the usual crude
field sports such as jumping, hurling
the stone, etc., fighting bouts for
purses were not uncommon.

A few years before the death of Sir
William Johnson, he had in his em-
ploy a fellow countryman named Mc-
Carthy, who was reputed the best
pugilist in the Mohawk valley. The
baronet offered to pit him against
anyone. Major Jelles Fonda, tired of
hearing this challenge, unearthed a
mighty Dutchman named John Van
Loan, in the Schoharie valley and
made a journey of some fifty miles to

secure him. Van Loan agreed to en-
ter the ring for a ten-pound note. A
big crowd assembled at Caughnawaga
to see the contest. There was much
betting, particularly on McCarthy.
Van Loan appeared in a shirt and
tight-fitting breeches of dressed deer-
skin. McCarthy tried hard but the
Schoharie fighter was too strong and
agile and eventually soundly whipped
Sir William's pet, who had to be car-
ried from the ring. This was probably
one of many pugilistic and wrestling
contests witnessed by crowds of set-
tlers. Brutal they were but they were
the physical expression of sport among
men of iron and should not be judged
by the tender standards of a delicate
and soft age.

It will, of course, be understood that
fishing, trapping and hunting, formed
a large part of the vocations of the
earliest settlers, who also availed
themselves largely of the skins of
game for clothing and other purposes,
deerskin or buckskin forming a large
part of this attire, particularly for
sport or work in the woods.
. Autumn husking bees and country
dances were recreations of the river
side folks and it is easy to see that
here was no Puritan community but
one which enjoyed the good things of
life, after periods of strenuous toil.
Barns and dwellings were raised by
"bees" in which the neighborhood par-
ticipated. Sports, dancing and solid
and liquid refreshments followed in
profusion. The final feast seemed an
indispensable part of all social and
most religious observances.

As the Dutch were such a consider-
able portion of the valley population, ^
particularly in the eastern end and
were scattered largely through the re-
mainder some idea of their charac-
teristics may be gained from Mrs.
Grant's word pictures of life, in Al-
bany in the middle of the eighteenth
century, included in her "Memoirs of
an American Lady." These things
would apply to the Low Dutch of
the town of Schenectady or, with a
rural setting, to those in other parts
of the valley and we must remember
that the Dutch influence and customs

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

were very strong in every part of the
state in those days, including Tryon
county.

Mrs. Grant says that the houses were
very neat within and without and were
of stone or brick. The streets were
broad and lined with shade trees. Each
house had its garden and before each
door a tree was planted and shaded
the stoops or porches, which were fur-
nished with spacious seats on which
domestic groups were seated on sum-
mer evenings. Each family had a
cow, fed in a common pasture at the
end of the town. At evening the herd
returned altogether of their own ac-
cord, with their tinkling bells hung at
their necks, along the wide and grassy
street, to their wonted sheltering
trees, to be milked at their master's
doors. On pleasant evenings the
stoops were filled with groups of old
and young of both sexes discussing
grave questions or gayly chatting and
singing together. The mischievous
gossip was unknown for intercourse
was so free and friendship so real that
there was no place for such a creature,
and politicians seldom disturbed these
social gatherings. A peculiar social
custom arranged the yoving people in
congenial companies, composed of
equal numbers, of both sexes, quite
small children being admitted, and
the association continued until ma-
turity. The result was a perfect
knowledge of each other and happy
and suitable marriages resulted. The
summer amusements of the young
were simple, the principal one being
picnics, often held upon the pretty
Islands near Albany or in "the bush."
These were days of pure enjoyment for
everybody was unrestrained by con-
ventionalities. In winter the frozen
Hudson would be alive with merry
skaters of both sexes. Small evening
parties were frequent and were gen-
erally the sequel of quilting parties.
The young men sometimes enjoyed
convivial parties at taverns but ha-
bitual drunkenness was extremely
rare.

Slavery was common in the valley
and some plantations had a score or
more slaves. The price of labor was

so enormously high, because of the
sparse population, that the importa-
tion of negroes had become a prime in-
dustrial necessity and they were then
very numerous in the province of New
York. Mrs. Grant speaks of slavery
in Albany and her remarks are perti-
nent to the valley as well. She says:

"African slavery was seen at Albany
and vicinity in its mildest form. It
was softened by gentleness and mutual
attachments. It appeared patriarchial
and a real blessing to the negroes.
Master and slave stood in the relation
of friends. Immoralities were rare.
There was no hatred engendered by
neglect, cruelty and injustice; and
such excitements as the 'Negro Plots'
of 1712 and 1741 in New York city were
impossible. Industry and frugality
ranked among the cardinal virtues of
the people."

These seem to have been negro
slave conditions in this section up to
1827, when slavery was finally abolish-
ed in New York. The slaves were
allowed much liberty and had their full
share of celebrations and jollifications
such as Christmas and New Year.
Many were freed by their owners, for
good service or other reasons and in
all the local records we find few inci-
dents of cruelty or abuse on the
part of the white man to the black.
There is an instance of a slave woman
born in the Herkimer family at Dan-
ube who lived for years in Little Falls
and was looked after and finally buried
by the Herkimer grandchildren of her
early master.

A number of conditions tended to
mold public thought into a Revolu-
tionary form. There were discourage-
ments to settlement and some of the
English governors had been avaricious,
bigoted and tyrannical. The lavish
grants of much of the best land to their
favorites and tools were special hind-
rances to the rapid increase of popu-
lation. The holders of large estates
rated their lands so high that poorer
persons could neither buy or lease
farms.

It is not the province of this ac-
count to treat in detail of the grants "•
of land in Tryon county. Suffice to

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

say that these transactions frequently
seemed to be honey -combed with ev-
ery form of corruption known to Co-
lonial adventurers and crooks. Such
methods were well exemplified in the
Corry patent which, tradition has it,
was secured in part by Gov. Clarke
for himself, although it was against
the Colonial law for a governor to ac-
quire land by free grant. This is the
well known property which was the
Koene of so much miserable trouble,
arson and crime during the years of its
last proprietorship under a George
Clarke. These grants angered both
Indians and settlers and tended, among
many other things, to make the true
American of the day distrust and hate
his state government and mother
country. For the most part the Dutch
and Palatine grantees seem to have
settled upon and improved for their
own use the lands given them.

Benson J. Lossing's "Empire State,"
says:

"In the state of New York the Dutch
language was so generally used in
some of the counties that sheriffs
found it difficult to procure persons
sufficiently acquainted with the En-
glish tongue to serve as jurors in the
courts. Among the wealthiest people
considerable luxury in table, dress and
furniture was exhibited, j^et there was
an aspect of homely comfort through
society. Both sexes, of all except the
highest classes, were neglectful of in-
tellectual cultivation. The schools
were of a low order. 'The instructors
want instruction,' wrote a contempor-
ary. The English language where it
was spoken was much corrupted. The
placid good humor of the Dutch seem-
ed to largely pervade the province, in-
cluding men and women, and there
seemed to have prevailed an uncom-
mon degree of virtue and domestic fe-
licity. The population is reported as
industrious, hospitable, as a rule sober,
and intent upon money-making.

"The people generally were religious.
The principal church organizations
were the Dutch Reformed, the Luth-
eran, English Episcopal and the Pres-
byterian. This was due to the racial
elements of the state's settlers which

were Dutch, German, English, Scotch,
Irish and Huguenot French, and these
elements penetrated to some extent
into practically all the counties of the
province, including Tryon. There was
much freedom of thought and action
among the people that fostered a
spirit of independence. They were
not bound hand and foot by rigid re-
ligious and political creeds, as were
the people of New England, but were
thoroughly imbued with the toleration
inherited from the first Dutch settlers,
and theological disputes were seldom
indulged in."

Here and there were men of
acute intelligence and fine minds who
possessed initiative and the power of
expressing themselves simply, clearly
and forcibly. These were the leaders
who were to be in the van in the im-
pending struggle.

All the foregoing pictures to us the
Mohawk valley people, their lands,
customs, manners and play at the
period just antedating the war for in-
dependence and the building of Fort
Plain. This account is considered
worthy of its length in portraying the
men and women who were to be ac-
tors in and around this frontier out-
post, for after all the human element
is more important than the dead walls
of the old fort and both played their
part on this stage of war and peace.

CHAPTER VIII.

1774 to 1777 — Growth of the American
Liberty Movement — Tryon County
Committee of Safety and Militia.

At the opening of the Revolution the
Mohawk valley had enjoyed 20 years
of peace and consequent development
and prosperity. Its people had al-
most forgotten the horrors of the
French and Indian depredations dur-
ing the last contest between England
and France which resulted in the lat-
ter's loss of Canada.

In 1774, the strong American senti-
ment for independence took form in
Tryon county at a meeting held in the
Palatine district which warmly ap-
proved the calling of a Continental

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

congress for mutual consultation of
the colonies upon their grievances
against England. A set of resolutions
was drawn up setting forth the Am-
erican cause and correspondence was
opened with the patriots of New York
city. The Johnson party early in
1775 published a set of resolutions ap-
proving English acts and went about
securing signatures, which excited the
indignation of the majority of the
Tryon county population who were
Whigs. Most of the Tryon county of-
ficials signed the Johnson petition.
The Whigs held meetings and the first
one, of three hundred patriots, assem-
bled at Caughnawaga to raise a lib-
erty pole. This was broken up by an
armed party of Tories headed by Sir
John Johnson. Young Jacob Sammons
interrupted a fiery speech of Col. Guy
Johnson and was severely beaten by
the Tories. Further patriotic meet-
ings were held and at the second held
at the house of Adam Loucks in Pala-
tine, a committee to correspond with
those of other districts was formed,
this being the beginning of the Tryon
County Committee of Safety. John-
son now armed further his fortifica-
tions at the Hall and organized and
equipped his Tory Scotch highlanders.
In view of these affairs the Palatine
committee addressed a letter to the
Albany committee setting forth the
situation in the county a.nd asking
that the shipment of ammunition into
it from Albany be supervised so that
the Tories could not further arm
themselves. Evidences soon appeared
that Johnson was endeavoring to se-
cure the support of the Six Nations.
His personal army now amounted to
500 men and he had cut off free com-
munication between Albany and the
upper valley settlements. The Pala-
tine committee. May 21, protested
against Johnson's course and the Ger-
man Flats and Kingsland districts
were invited to cooperate with them.

May 24, 1775, the committees of all
the districts but Mohawk met at the
house of William Seeber in Canajo-
harie (at Fort Plain) and adopted res-
olutions of united action between the
districts. Delegates were sent to Al-

bany and Schenectady to confer with
those committees. This was the first
meeting of the Tryon County Com-
mittee of Safety and was held close to
the site of the later fortification. May
25, the Tryon county and Albany
committees held a council with the
Mohawks at Guy Park without appar-
ent results. On May 29, again at the
house of William Seeber, near Fort
Plain, a resolution was passed prohib-
iting all trade with persons who had
not signed the article of association
and slaves were not to be allowed off
their master's premises without a per-
mit. Any person disobeying these in-
structions was to be considered an
enemy of the patriot cause. The first
full meeting of the county committee
was held in the western part of the
Canajoharie district, June 2, 1775, at
the house of Warner Tygert a neighbor
and relative of General Herkimer.
The names of the committee at that
meeting follow:

Canajoharie District — Nicholas Her-
kimer, Ebenezer Cox, William Seeber,
John Moore, Samuel Campbell, Samuel
Clyde, Thomas Henry, John Pickard.

Kingsland and German Flats Dis-
tricts— Edward Wall, William Petry,
John Petry, Marcus Petry, Augustinus
Hess, Frederick Ahrendorf, George
Wents, Michael E. Ittig, Frederick
Fox, George Herkimer, Duncan Mc-
Dougall, Frederick Hilmer, John
Franck.

Mohawk District — John Marlett,
John Bliven, Abraham Van Horn,
Adam Fonda Frederick Fisher, Samp-
son Sammons, William Schuyler, Vol-
kert Veeder, James McMaster, Daniel
Lane.

Palatine District — Isaac Paris, John
Frey, Christopher P. Yates, Andrew
Fink jr., Andrew Reeber, Peter Wag-
goner, Daniel McDougall, Jacob Klock,
George Ecker jr., Harmanus Van
Slyck, Christopher W. Fox and An-
thony Van Vechten.

Of the members from the Canajo-
harie district, Herkimer and Cox lived
in the present town of Danube, Seeber
and Pickard in Minden, Henry in Har-
persfield and Campbell and Clyde in
Cherry Valley.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Christopher P. Yates was chosen
chairman of the county committee and
Edward Wall and Nicholas Herkimer
were selected to deliver a letter of pro-
test to Col. Guy Johnson against his
Tory stand. Col. Johnson returned a
politic but non-committal letter to
this deputation. He appointed a coun-
cil at German Flats but did not hold
it but went on to Fort Stanwix, tak-
ing with him his family, a number of
dependents and a great body of Mo-
hawk Indians, who left their valley
homes never to return except in war
parties and against their old neighbors.

On June 11, 1775, the committee
chose Christopher P. Yates and John
Marlett as delegates to the provincial
congress. This meeting was held at
the house of Gose Van Alstine (now
known as Fort Rensselaer in the vil-
lage of Canajoharie). Rev. Mr. Kirk-
land arranged a council of the One-
idas and Tuscaroras with the commit-
tee and Albany delegates at German
Flats, June 28, 1775, which largely re-
sulted in the friendly attitude of the
Oneidas and Tuscaroras during the
war.

July 3 the committee granted the
petition of certain settlers for permis-
sion to form themselves into militia
companies. The Tory mayor of Al-
bany, who was fleeing west, was
stopped by Capt. George Herkimer and
the rangers and his batteau was
searched but nothing contraband was
Vfc^ found. By this time Guy Johnson and
his party had pushed on to Ontario,
far beyond the reach of angry pa-
triots, and wrote back a hostile letter
in reply to a pacific one sent him by
the provincial congress. From Os-
wego Johnson went to Montreal ac-
companied by many warriors of the
Six Nations. The Tryon county
settlers feared that he would soon col-
lect an army, and cooperating with
John Johnson, sweep the valley of the
patriots. The committee now assumed
the civic and military functions of the
county and began to have trouble
with John Johnson over its assump-
tion of the sheriff's duties and use
of the jail and also over the formation
of patriot companies in the vicinity

of the hall. Congress ordered Gen,
Schuyler to capture the military stores
at Johnson Hall and disarm and dis-
perse the Johnson Tory party. Jan.
18, 1776, Schuyler and his force met
Col. Herkimer and the Tryon county
militia at Caughnawaga. On the 19th
at Johnstown, Sir John Johnson de-
livered up his war supplies and his 300
Scotch highlanders were disarmed. Col.
Herkimer remained and brought in
100 Tories, who were disarmed. John-
son continuing his work for the Tory
cause, in May, 1776, Col. Dayton was
sent to capture him. Johnson escaped
to Canada with many of his followers,
striking into the northern wilderness
as the Continentals were entering
Johnstown, and leaving in such haste
that he buried his plate and valuables.
Lady Johnson was removed to Albany
where she was held as hostage for her
husband's actions. Johnson took a
commission as colonel under the Brit-
ish and organized two battalions,
from the Tories who followed him,
which were called the Royal Greens.
These Tryon county Tories surpassed
the Indians in their barbaric acts on
subsequent raids into the Mohawk
valley and in their depredations
around Fort Plain. A large part of the
Tory population soon left Tryon coun-
ty for Canada. Sir John's estate and
that of some sixty other Tories, were
confiscated by the patriot govern-
ment. The Whigs were now formed
into companies by the different dis-
trict committees. Aug. 22, 1776, the
following were name^, by a majority
of votes, as field officers for the differ-
ent districts:

Canajoharie, 1st Battalion— 1st Col.,
Nicholas Herkimer; Lieut.-Col., Eben-
ezer Cox; major, Robert Wells; adju-
tant, Samuel Clyde.

Palatine, 2nd Battalion — Col., Jacob
Klock; Lieut.-Col., Peter Waggoner;
major, Harmanus Van Slyck; adju-
tant, Anthony Van Vechten.

Mohawk, 3rd Battalion — Col., Fred-
erick Fisher; Lieut.-Col., Adam Fonda;
major, John Bliven; adjutant, Robt.
Yates.

Kingsland and German Flats, 4th
Battalion — Col., Han Yost Herkimer;

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Lieut. -Col., Peter Bellinger; major,
Han Yost Shoemaker; adjutant, Jno.
Demooth.

At the same time Nicholas Herki-
mer was appointed "Chief Colonel
Commander of the County of Tryon."
Following his unsuccessful attempt to
arrest Johnson, Col. Dayton was com-
missioned by Gen. Schuyler, in com-
mand of the northern army at Albany,
to strengthen the valley defenses. Forts
Dayton and Plain were erected, all of
which work was under Col. Dayton's
supervision. He also repaired and
strengthened Fort Stanwix (later
Schuj'ler) and Fort Herkimer.

Four weeks after the Tryon county
militia organization was effected, a
battalion of "Minute men" (scouts or
rangers) was formed with George Her-
kimer, brother of Nicholas, as its
colonel and Samuel Campbell as its
lieutenant -colonel.

In the spring of 1777 Brant, with a
: large party of Indians, came down
from Canada to Unadilla. Gen.
Schuyler ordered Col. Herkimer to
confer with Brant, as the two latter
had been on friendly terms prior to
the Revolution. Herkimer and 450
Tryon county militia and regular
troops accordingly proceeded to Una-
dilla and met Brant, who had 500 well
armed warriors under him. Two con-
ferences between the two command-
ers were ineffectual, a conflict was
narrowly avoided and the American
militia returned to the Mohawk.

state of Vermont. The members rep-
resenting Tryon were: William Har-
per, Isaac Paris, Mr. Vedder, John
Morse, Benjamin Newkirk.

In 1777 occurred the establishment
and organization of an independent
state government (succeeding the Pro-
vincial Congress) and the framing of
a constitution for the government of
the commonwealth. The new "Con-
vention of Representatives of the
State of New York" met in White
Plains in July and representatives
were present from the then fourteen
counties of the state — namely. New
York, Richmond, Kings, Queens, Suf-
folk, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange,
Ulster, Albany, Tryon, Charlotte, Cum-
berland and "Gloucester. The last two
counties formed a part of the present

Gen. Philip Schuyler, who disarmed
Johnson and his followers at Johns-
town in 1776, was connected with
many of the military movements in
this locality through being the com-
mander of the American army of the
north during the early part of the war
with headquarters at Albany. He was
born in Albany, 1733, and came of a
Dutch family which had been promi-
nently connected with the affairs of
the city and the colony from its ear-
liest days. Schuyler joined the British
Colonial forces during the French war
and became a major. Two days after
the battle of Bunker Hill, congress
made him a major-general and placed
him in command of the northern de-
partment. In the expedition against
Canada, Schuyler commanded that by
way of Lake Champlain. He was com-
pelled, owing to ill health, to relin-
quish his command to Montgomery
after taking Isle au Noix, on Sorel river.
The failure of the Canadian expedi-
tion excited much hostility to Schuy-
ler and insinuations were made
against his loyalty. This became so
offensive that he sent congress his
resignation which that body declined
to accept in the autumn of 1776. In
April, 1777, Schuyler demanded a court
of inquiry, which approved his man-
agement. During this time he had
continued in command at Albany and
his influence with the Indians is said
to have been of great value to the Am-
erican cause. Gen. Schuyler sent aid,
in August, 1777, to Fort Schuyler, un-
der Arnold, in response to the plea of
Col. Willett. This was opposed by his
generals in council, but his wise and
prompt action saved the fort, the val-
ley and perhaps the nation. Schuyler
resisted Burgoyne's advance but was
superseded by Gates at the mouth of
the Mohawk, where he had taken up
a fortified position in September, 1777.
Thus he was robbed of the fruits of
the victory at Saratoga. 1778-81 he
was a member of congress and in 1789

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

and 1797 went to the United States
senate from New York. In the New
York senate he contributed largely to
the code of laws adopted by the state
and was an active promoter of the
canal system. The Inland Lock Navi-
gation Co. was incorporated in 1792,
for the improvement of Mohawk river
traffic, and Gen. Philip Schuyler was
elected its president. One of his
daughters married Alexander Hamil-
ton. Schuyler died in Albany in 1804,
aged 70. He is considered one of the
leading figures of New York's Revo-
lutionary period.

contents, half robbers and half insur-
gents, who harassed the English in
Ireland at the time of the massacre in
1640, were the first to whom the epi-
thet was applied. It was also applied
to the court party as a term of re-
proach."

Lossing gives the following origin of
the terms, Whig and Tory: "They
were copied by us from the political
vocabulary of Great Britain and were
first used here to distinguish the op-
posing parties in the Revolution about
1770. The term originated during the
reign of Charles II., or about that time.
Bishop Burnet, in his History gives
the following explanation: 'The
southwest counties of Scotland have
seldom corn [grain] enough to serve
them round the year; and the north-
ern parts, producing more than they
need, those in the west come in the
summer to buy at Leith the stores that
come from the north; and from a word
'whiggam,' used in driving their horses,
all that drove were called 'whigga-
mores' and shorter, 'whigs.' Now in
that year after the news came down of
Duke Hamilton's defeat, the ministers
animated their people to rise and
inarch to Edinburg, and then came up
marching at the head of other parishes,
with unheard of fury, praying and
preaching all the way as they came.
The Marquis of Argyle and his party
came and headed them, they being
about six thousand. This was called
the Whiggamores' inroad, and ever
after that all that opposed the courts
came, in contempt, to be called
Whigg; and from Scotland the word
was brought into England, where it is
now one of our unhappy terms of dis-
tinction. Subsequently, all whose
party bias was democratic were called
Whigs. The origin of the word Tory
is not so well attested. The Irish mal-

The following is a brief resume of
events and their dates preceding and
contributory to the Revolution and
also of the principal events of the war
from 1775 to the summer of 1777, when
hostilities began in the Mohawk val-
ley. It is prepared with especial ref-
erence to the history of New York
state.

Albany convention (of delegates
from eight colonies), 1754. New York
congress of 1765, called to protest
against the Stamp Act of 1765; for-
mation of the Sons of Liberty in New
York city and conflict between them
and British troops, Jan. 18, 1770, re-
sulting in bloodshed (Appleton's En-
cyclopedia says "this irregular fight-
ing was the real beginning of the
Revolutionary war."); Boston mas-
sacre, 1770; Boston tea party, Dec. 16,
1773; organization of "Mohawks" in
New York in 1773 and repetition of
"Boston tea party" in New York har-
bor, April, 1774; Continental congress
in Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1773 (in real-
ity an assemblage of the patriot com-
mittees from the different colonies),
sitting also during 1774; battle of Lex-
ington, April 19, 1775; American cap-
ture of Ticonderoga, May 10, 1775;
second Continental congress. May 10,
1775; battle of Bunker Hill, June 17.
1775; Washington made commander-
in-chief of the American army, June
15, 1775; American defeat under Mont-
gomery at Quebec, Dec. 31, 1775; dec-
laration of independence, July 4, 1776;
evacuation of Boston by British, Mar.
17, 1776; American defeat on Long
Island, Aug. 27, 1776; American de-
feats of Fort Washington, Manhattan,
and Fort Lee, New Jersey, in fall of
1776, and retreat across New Jersey;
American victory at Trenton, Dec. 26,
1776; American victory of Princeton,
Jan. 3, 1777; Adoption of state consti-
tution at Kingston (Esopus) April 21,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

1777, the legislators having removed
there from White Plains on account of
the nearness of the British force, oc-
cupying New York city; Burgoyne's
British army assembled at Cumberland
Point, Lake Champlaln, June, 1777, and
captured Crown Point, June 30, 1777;
St. Leger's British army assembles at
Oswego for invasion of Mohawk valley
and junction with Burgoyne at Albany,
July, 1777; George Clinton sworn in as
governor of New York, July 31, 1777.

CHAPTER IX.

1776 — The Building of Fort Plain —
Other Forts Near Here.

At the close of the French war there
were, in the valley, army fortifications
at Fort Stanwix (now Rome, erected
1758), at Fort Herkimer (1756) and at
Fort Hunter (1711), besides other
fortified places such as Fort John-
son. Early in 1776 Col. Elias Dayton
was sent to repair Fort Stanwix and
he probably had supervision over the
repairs to Fort Herkimer and the erec-
tion of Fort Plain and Fort Dayton at
Herkimer, which bears his name.

The site of Fort Plain, on the rise
just west of the present cemetery, at
the extreme western end of the vil-
lage limits, has already been noted.
Simms says it was constructed mainly
by farmers. Its form was an irregular
quadrangle with earth and log bas-
tions or block houses and embrasures
at opposite corners a strong block
house within in the center and also
barracks. Cannon in the block-houses
could command the fort on all sides.
It enclosed from a third to a half acre
of ground but when settlers began to
be killed and burned out, the surviv-
ors came here in such numbers that
the space was found too small for the
public needs. Three or four com-
fortable huts were accordingly made
along the verge of the hill. The ad-
jacent spring furnished water and sup-
plies were probably stored in the cen-
ter block-house. There were two
large apple trees within the fort in-
closure. Its entrance was on the
south-easterly side toward a road
leading up to the ravine on that side

to it. Lossing says it had block-
houses in each corner; Simms says
they were in opposite corners of the
quadrangle.

The plateau on which it stood is of
penninsular form and, across the neck
or isthmus, a breastwork was thrown
up. The fort extended along the south-
eastern brow of this hill and the block-
house was about one hundred yards
northwest on the edge of the northern
slope of the hill. There is a tradition
that nearby settlers aided in the erec-
tion of this defense. The boss car-
penter, John Dederick, was allowed to
name the fort. It is stated that he
named It Fort Plain on account of its
plain or fine view of open country and
because from here operations of an
enemy could be so plainly detected. It
is said to have been not so named be-
cause the fortification was situated on
a diminutive plain, as it was.

There is a possibility that it might
have been named thus because, from
this height looking over the trees
which lined the near-by Otsquago, an
unbroken view of the treeless flats,
stretching four miles away to Canajo-
harie, was obtained. This was in
strong contrast to the densely wooded
slopes and heights stretching away to
entire circle of the horizon around the
fort. The outlook at that day must
have been superb with the big woods
cleared in spots only near the river
and the heights covered by the great
trees of the virgin forest. The Met-
ropolitan Museum in New York houses
a painting by Wyant called "The Mo-
hawk Valley." It is a * considerable
canvas, showing the river before the
coming of the white man and is im-
pressive in its wooded hills and its
treeless flat lands with the Mohawk
winding through them. It suggests
strongly what might have been the
view at one time from Fort Plain.
However we will accept the Simms
statement that the fort received its
name on account of the fine, open,
plain or unobstructed view.

An acquaintance with the other reg-
ular military posts of the time seems
to show that of them all it was the
best located for defense. Fort Plain

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

was the first Revolutionary fortifica-
tion and the most important within
the Canajoharie-Palatine districts.
Fort Canajoharie at Danube was a
stockade erected during the French
war to protect the Mohawks but did
not figure in the conflict for independ-
ence.

Who commanded first at Fort Plain
is not known and it probably was not
regularly garrisoned until 1777. It
formed a key for communication with
and protection of the Schoharie,
Cherry Valley and Unadilla settle-
ments and was the chief protection of
the Canajoharie and Palatine districts.
About 1780-1 it became the head-
quarters of the officer commanding
this and the several military posts in
this vicinity. Col. Marinus Willett was
its commander for several seasons and
he is believed to have been here con-
stantly about 1781-2. He occupied
the eastern one of the huts situated on
the side hill below the pickets a rod or
two from the spring. Col. Clyde was
in command here in 178.3. The block-
house, which will be noted later, was
built to still further strengthen the
defenses here in the tall of 1780
and the spring of 1781, and was merely
a part of the fortifications here and
not a separate post. Fort Plain must
have been considered of formidable
strength for it never was attacked di-
rectly by the considerable forces of
the enemy who operated in this sec-
tion at different times. The land on
which the post stood was part of the
Lipe farm.

Five smaller fortifications were in
the vicinity of Fort Plain. Commenc-
ing westerly Fort Windecker, Fort
Willett, Fort Plank and Fort Clyde
were only two or three miles apart,
the first three being nearlj^ on a north
and south line, curving easterly to em-
brace the last fort named, and being
in something like a half circle around
Fort Plain on its western side. Dur-
ing the latter part of the war this line
of forts, with the regular army post
toward the center, made this section
one of the best defended on the Tryon
county frontier, and one historian says
enabled the surviving to furnish most

of the bread for the district. Fort
Paris, at Stone Arabia, was the fifth
fortification immediately about the
central defense of Fort Plain.

Fort Windecker, built in 1777, was
a palisaded small enclosure surround-
ing the dwelling of Johannes Win-
decker. It was nearly eight miles
west of north from the latter upon the
river road. It had the usual signal
gun and probably contained a small
block-house. This place, like similar
posts, had at least one sentinel on duty
at night, who was posted usually out-
side the pickets at this place.

Fort Willett was a palisaded in-
closure on the highest ground in the
Dutchtown section and was situated
over four miles from Fort Plain on
land now owned by William Zimmer-
man. This stockade was completed
in the spring of 1781 and had ample
room for huts for all the adjacent
families. It had the block-house cor-
ners and an alarm gun. As it was iso-
lated from any dwelling, it had a good-
sized oven, the ruins of which re-
mained for many years. The timber
for its pickets was cut on adjoining
farms and was drawn together by the
owners of them. Like other palisades,
the pickets were the trunks of straight
trees of different kinds, of about a foot
thickness through the butt, and cut
long enough to be sunk three or four
feet in the ground and to rise above it
about a dozen or more. On the com-
pletion of this defense. Col. Willett
rode out with a squad of his men
from Fort Plain to see it. He was
much pleased with the condition of
things and said "You have a nice little
fort here; what do you call it?" "It
has no name yet; wont you give it
one?" was the answer. Col. Willett
replied, "Well, this is one of the nicest
little forts on the frontier, and you
may call it after me, if you please." A
cheer went up at this, so the name of
Willett became connected with the
town in which he lived and fought for
several years. The old south shore
turnpike running through the Green-
bush section of Fort Plain village is
named Willett street after this very
capable Revolutionary commander. At

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the end of the war each family who
had contributed pickets for the build-
ing of Fort Willett drew home their
share and the fortification was demol-
ished in the same manner as the many
others when their use for purposes of
defense had ceased.

Fort Plank was established in 1776
and was situated two and a half miles
west of Fort Plain and one and a quar-
ter miles in a direct line southerly
from the Mohawk. Here then lived
Frederick Plank, a whig, whose house
was palisaded in a square enclosure
with block-house corners. From its
nearness to the settlements at Dutch-
town and Geissenberg it served as a
safe retreat for a score or two of fam-
ilies. Capt. Joseph House, a militia
officer living with Plank, usually com-
manded in the absence of field officers.
More or less troops were kept at this
station through the war.

Fort Clyde was established in 1777
to protect the Freysbush settlers. It
bore the name of Col. Samuel Clyde of
Cherry Valley, who doubtless superin-
tended its construction. This was not
a palisaded dwelling but a fort by it-
self, like that at Fort Plain and Fort
Willett. It was an enclosure large
enough to hold huts for the accommo-
dation of refugees and a strong block-
house in the center. A signal gun was
mounted as at all such posts. It was
about three miles south of Fort Plain
and topped a sightly knoll on what
was the old Gen. George H. Nellis
farm. It is believed Col. Clyde exer-
cised a sort of paternal supervision
over this fort, where part of a com-
pany of rangers or drafted militia was
stationed.

In the Palatine district similarly
adjacent to Fort Plain stood Fort
Paris. It was three or four miles to
the northeast of Fort Plain and stood
upon the summit of ground half a
mile to the north of the Stone Arabia
churches. It was a palisade enclosing
strong block-houses and was of a size
to accommodate a garrison of 200 or
300 men. The fort was commenced in
December, 1776, and completed in the
spring of 1777.

This was an important post and was

usually manned by a company or two
of rangers. Col. Klock and Lieut.-Col.
Wagner had much to do with its im-
mediate command. In the fall and
winter of 1779 it became the head-
quarters of Col. Frederick Visscher,
who commanded this and its adjacent
military posts, including Fort Plain.
This headquarters was changed to
Fort Plain in 1780-1, probably with the
advent of Col. Willett to command the
American forces in the valley. Fort
Paris was named after Col. Isaac Paris.
The post was ordered built by the
Tryon County Committee of Safety,
Dec. 19, 1776, and was largely erected
by Capt. Christian Getman's company
of rangers "under the sole direction
and command of Isaac Paris, Esq.," to
quote the language of the committee.
It \yas located on what is now the
Shull farm and was built of solid
hewn timber and was two stories high
with the upper story projecting over
the lower on all sides. After it was
taken down, early in the nineteenth
century, its timbers were used in
building structures now in existence in
that section.

Besides these more important posts
around Fort Plain there were numer-
ous stockaded dwellings" called forts
generally named from the families who
owned them. A small stockaded stone
dwelling named Fort Keyser was lo-
cated about a mile south of Stone
Arabia.

In the present village of Canajoharie
on the east side of the creek stood
the stockaded stone dwelling of Philip
Van Alstine. A mile or two south-
west of this on the Mapletown road
and a mile from the creek stood Fort
Ehle. Lieut. Cornelius Van Evera and
Ensign John Van Evera were on duty
in and around this fort.

In the eastern part of the town of
St. Johnsville stood "Fort House,"
named after its builder, although it
was the home of Christian Klock. The
house of Jacob Zimmerman was also
stockaded. Both of these stockades
repulsed repeated attacks of the
enemy. Fort Hill, which was situated
on an eminence in the western part of
the town of St. Johnsville, was erected

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

during the French war. It was re-
paired and used during the Revolution.
Thus before a blow had been struck,
the settlers of Tryon county had real-
ized the gravity of the situation and
were prepared for defense.

After his unsuccessful attempt to
arrest Sir John Johnson in May, in
the summer of 1776, Col. Dayton was
sent by Gen. Schuyler to look after
the defenses in the Mohawk valley.
He started the reconstruction of Fort
Stanwix (Schuyler), which work was
not entirely completed when invested
by the enemy in the following year.
Col. Dayton is supposed to have had
official supervision of the renovation
of Fort Herkimer and of the construc-
tion of Fort Dayton, which bears his
name, at the site of Herkimer. It is
reasonable to suppose that he super-
vised the erection of Fort Plain at the
same time. Elias Dayton was born
in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1735.
He joined the Colonial army during
the French and Indian war. He was
a member of the corps called "Jersey
Blues," raised in 1759 by Edward Hart,
the father of John Hart, one of the
signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. With that corps Dayton fought
under Wolfe at Quebec. He was one
of the Committee of Safety at Eliza-
bethtown at the beginning of the Rev-
olution. In February, 1778, congress
appointed him colonel of a New Jer-
sey regiment, and in 1782 he was pro-
moted to the rank of brigadier-gen-
eral. He was in several of the prin-
cipal battles of the Revolution and had
three horses shot under him — one at
Germantown, one at Springfield and
one at Crosswick Bridge. He was the
first president of the Society of the
Cincinnati of New Jersey, and, during
the life of Washington, enjoyed the
warm personal friendship of the na-
tional leader. He died at Elizabeth-
town in 1807, aged 72 years.

"stood on the farm long owned by
Ralph Manning, about half a mile east
of north from the present Middle-
burgh railroad station." It was built
by soldiers and citizens, the farmers
drawing the material together and the
soldiers doing a great part of the
building. The Upper Fort was situ-
ated five miles west of south from the
Middle Fort. It was begun in the fall
of 1777 and completed the following
summer. The Lower Fort, situated
six miles north of the Middle Fort.
The stone church, still standing one
mile north of the court house, was
enclosed within the palisades of this
fortification.

Three forts were erected in the
Schoharie valley in the fall of 1777, the
central being the first one built. It
was known during the Revolution as
the Middle Fort 'and, Simms saya.

CHAPTER X.

1776 — Adjacent Settlers and Buildings
— Some Thrilling Incidents.

The following deals with some of the
buildings and families immediately
around Fort Plain and in the Canajo-
harie-Palatine districts during the
Revolutionary period, 1775-1783.

Across the river from the fort was
the dwelling and farm of Peter W.
Wormuth, whose son Matthew was
shot down in 1778 while carrying de-
spatches between Fort Plain and
Cherry Valley. Here Washington
stopped and remained over night on
his visit to Fort Plain in 1783. Di-
rectly across the river was the Wag-
ner farm where a ferry ran later and
probably then.

Beside the Lipe family an imme-
diate neighbor of Fort Plain, on the
Minden side of the river, was William
H. Seeber, who had a store and dwell-
ing on the late Adam Lipe place. His
store was opened about 1750 and he
traded here during the French war. He
was a member of the Tryon County
Committee of Safety of the Canajo-
harie district and a major of militia
in the battalion from the same district.
He was wounded at Oriskany and died
126 days after at his home. Two of
his sons were with hiin in this battle.
One, Audolph, was killed on the field
and the other, Capt. Jacob W. Seeber,
fell with a wounded leg and died short-
ly after it was amputated at Fort Her-

N-"

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

kimer. The land on which Fort Plain
was built was owned by Johannes
Lipe, who had a dwelling and barns
next to it.

A neighbor of considerable size
and importance at the time was
the first Reformed Dutch church of
Canajoharie, situated at Sand Hill,
about a third of a mile north of the
fort, and a little distance above the
Abeel place on the Dutchtown road.
This was a wooden building and stood
on a sightly place on the westerly
side of the road at what is now the
old Sand Hill cemetery. At the time
of its burning by Brant, Dominie Gros
was its pastor, and from that time to
the close of the war he preached in a
barn on the Lipe farm in the ravine
through which the road ran from the
river up to Fort Plain. This barn
was removed to make way for another
in 1859. Another old dwelling a few
yards below it gave way in 1875 to a
brick dwelling. One of the ancient
wooden structures standing on the
left side almost at the beginning of
the Dutchtown road is said to be the
old parsonage. These buildings, with
several others were so near the fort
that they were never molested. One
of these was the Young house which
was superseded by the former Wil-
liams residence on Canal street. Sev-
eral of these old Sand Hill wooden
structures have been destroyed by fire
in comparatively recent years.

Other adjoining property was that
of John Abeel, a Dutch trader of
Albany, who came into this part of
the Canajoharie district in 1757. He
was the father of the Seneca chief,
Cornplanter, as mentioned elsewhere,
and was engaged in the fur trade
among the Six Nations when he be-
came enamored of a Seneca girl.
Abeel was captured near his home in
the raid of 1780 by Brant and Corn-
planter and was released by the lat-
ter. The half-breed son later visited
his relatives at Fort Plain. George
Grouse built a log house to the south
of the fort and between it and the
Governor Clarke place. This cabin
was burned by Brant in 1780. The

Clarke wilderness home i.s mentioned
at length in an early chapter.

The Clarke property came into the
possession of Isaac Paris jr.. who
built a large store upon it in 1786
(now the Bleecker house). Paris built
this store after the Revolution but he
must have owned the Clarke property
as early as 1782 as he sold part of it
to George Crouse jr. and Col. AVillett,
who boarded with Crouse, advised the
latter to buy it. Willett did not com-
mand here after 1782. The land was
to be paid for in wheat at 18 cents
per skipple (three pecks). Later Col.
Robert Crouse built a house on the
cellar of the Clarke mansion and this
was later the residence now standing
of the late A. J. Wagner. The Crouse
farm, on which so much of Fort Plain
was built, was probably the original
Clarke property.

Among the soldiers and people of
the country surrounding Fort Plain in
the districts of Palatine and Canajo-
harie, who had experiences in the war
we summarize the following from
Beer's History: "John Brookman
was carried captive to Canada by
the Indians and made to run
the gauntlet; Castine Bellinger, who
was taken by the Indians to Canada
when only three years old, where she
afterward married and refused to re-
turn when found by her father, Fred-
erick Bellinger; Christian, Jacob and
Peter Bellinger, who were captured by
the Indians, the last two tomahawked
and scalped and Christian held for
three years as a slave; Nicholas eas-
ier, John easier, a baker for the army
who is said to have kneaded dough
with his feet; Jacob Conkling, mate
of the brig Middleton; John Chisley;
George Clock; Abram Copeman, a
Revolutionary major; George Dieven-
dorff, a captain; John Dievendorff,
who escaped from captivity two years
after he had been taken by the In-
dians; Henry Dievendorff, who was
shot at Oriskany by an Indian who was
immediately killed by William Cox;
Jacob Dievendorff, a captain, who
passed safely through the war; George
Davis, who was in the battles with
Burgoyne and at one time with two

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

other patriots, captured three Tories,
whom Davis took to Albany; John
Peter Dunckel; John Dillenbeck, a
captain; George Dillenbeck, brother
of the former, who in the war
lost an eye from an Indian bul-
let and after drew a pension; Cor-
nelius Flint; Mrs. Dr. Frame, mur-
dered by Indians while trying to es-
cape to Fort Nellis; Peter Flagg, a
soldier at Fort Plain under Col. Wil-
lett; Henry J. Failing; John Gremps,
a flfteen-year-old patriot soldier who
was killed at Oriskany; Peter Gremps,
who put out a fire kindled by Indians
in his house, with a barrel of swill,
during the Stone Arabia raid; Chris-
tian Hufnail; Peter H. House; Samuel
Howe; Rudolph Keller, who was taken
to Canada by the Indians and died of
consumption when he returned within
six months; Peter Lambert, a spy;
John Lambert, who was captured by
the Indians when twelve years old and
on his return two years after was
known only to his mother by a scar
on his arm, and could not eat regular
food but would go into the woods and
cook for himself, Indian fashion; Adam
Lipe, wounded during the war; John
Lipe; George Lambert, a butcher in
the army; Moses Lowell, soldier;
Francis Lighthall; Isaac Miller, who
was taken by the Indians, scalped and
left for dead but revived, reached
friends and recovered; John Miller,
a soldier and one of the pursuers of
Brant; Jacob Matthews; Solomon,
John Henry, Jacob and Henry Moyer,
soldiers, the last wounded in the shoul-
der; Nicholas Pace; John Roof, a sol-
dier at Oriskany; John Roof, another
of the same name, a soldier at the
Johnstown battle; Henry and Peter
Sitts, the latter of whom, while riding
with Wormuth from Cherry Valley to
Fort Plain, had his horse shot down
and, falling under it, was captured and
kept in Canada during the war; Bar-
bara Schenck, captured by the In-
dians while pulling flax and taken
thinly dressed and barefoot to Canada
with her baby and a girl of eleven,
were cared for by a Tory who recog-
nized them, later returned to their
home, except the daughter, who mar-

ried and went to New England;
Henry Sanders, whose head was
scratched by a bullet at Oriskany;
Peter and John Snyder; Henry Seeber,
a paymaster in the army; Henry Tim-
merman, who was sixteen when he
was in the block-house at St. Johns-
ville when it was attacked by Brant;
Giles Van Vost; Nicholas Van Slyke,
a boatman on the Mohawk, who boast-
ed of having killed 47 Indians, but who
was finally killed by them and his body
mutilated; Jacob Wagner; Jos. H.
Wiles; Wilkes, grandfather of Mat-
thew Wilkes, a scout; M. Wormuth,
who was shot dead when Sitts was
taken; Henrj^ Waffle; G. Walrath, who
was captured by the Indians but killed
his guard and escaped into a swamp,
where he covered himself with mud
and eluded search; Jacob Walrath,
George Yoneker, Adam, John and
Nancy Yordon, the latter of whom
was taken a prisoner to Canada and
there married; Christian Young and
Henry Galler, who was killed in the
war."

It is impossible to give the names
of all who participated in the Rev-
olution. More of these soldiers' names
will be found in the Canajoharie and
Palatine names on the Oriskany ros-
ter. Other Minden families are con-
sidered at greater length in the chap-
ter on Brant's Minden raid of 1780.

In the Palatine district, among other
neighbors of Fort Plain, was the
patriot Major John Frey and his
Tory brother, Hendrick Frey, both
sons of Heinrich Frey jr., who
was possibly the first white child born
in the wilderness west of Schenectady.
Henrich Frey sr., in 1689, had settled
on 300 acres of land, at the now town
of Palatine Bridge, where he built a
log cabin. This was succeeded in 1739
by a stone dwelling which is often
called Fort BYey, and is still stand-
ing. It had a row of portholes on all
sides and was stockaded during the
French war and occupied by several
companies of soldiers. Col. Hendrick
Frey, being the oldest son, inherited
his father's landed estate which had
grown to be of large size. He was
educated at the school of Rev. Mr.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Dunlap in Cherry Valley, and married
a sister of Gen. Herkimer. He had
been a colonel of Colonial troops un-
der the Johnsons and with Guy John-
son had been the first to represent
Tryon county in the assembly. After
some delay Col. Hendrick Frey went
over to the cause of England.

Major John Frey was born in 1740
and later educated also at Cherry
Valley. He married a niece of Gen.
Herkimer. At the age of sixteen he
joined Bradstreet's expedition, to take
Fort Niagara from the French, with
the rank of lieutenant. He was a jus-
tice of Tryon county, a member of the
Committee of Safety and in 1776 its
chairman. He was the first sheriff of
Tryon county elected by the people.
At Oriskany, Maj. Frey was wounded
in the arm and taken a prisoner to
Canada. It is said that he was in
danger of being killed by his own
brother, a Tory, after the battle. He
held important offices and died at the
age of 93.

Peter Wagner lived on what is now
the Smith farm in the town of Pala-
tine and in sight of the Fort Plain
location. His stone house was forti-
fied and called Fort Wagner during
the war. He was a member of the
Committee of Safety and lieutenant-
colonel in the Palatine battalion at
Oriskany.

Captains William Fox jr., Christo-
pher P. Fox and Christopher W. Fox,
commanded companies the first, sec-
ond and third companies of the Pala-
tine battalion. Their home was near
Palatine Church. They fought at
Oriskany and Christopher P. Fox was
killed there.

Peter Fox of near Palatine Church,
was at Oriskany where he shot an In-
dian. He also fought at Klock's Field,
near his home.

In the Palatine district, other set-
tlers and soldiers adjacent to Fort
Plain were John Cook of Stone
Arabia, who was wounded in the
jaw, but escaped, at Oriskany; Jo-
hannes Schnell of Palatine, who lost
all his sons at Oriskany; Philip Nellis
of Palatine, who was wounded in the
shoulder at Oriskany; Conrad Kilts of

Palatine, who fought at Oriskany,
Johnstown and Stone Arabia, and was
at Col. Brown's side when he fell;
George Spraker of Sprakers, who with
his four sons fought in the Revolution,
and the tavern built on his place was
famous as the Spraker tavern; John
Wohlgemuth of Palatine, a soldier sta-
tioned for a time at Fort Plain; John
Marcellus of Palatine, a minute man,
who was stationed for a time at Fort
Paris; Peter Loucks, first lieutenant
of the third company of the Palatine ,
battalion; Adam Loucks of Stone
Arabia, at whose house was held
meetings of the Committee of Safety;
Isaac Paris, a member of the county
committee, of Stone Arabia, who
fought as a colonel under Herkimer
at Oriskany and who was stripped,
kicked and clubbed by the Tories and
finally barbarously murdered by the
Indians; County Committeemen An-
drew Reber, who then occupied the
Nellis property near the Fort Plain
railroad station; Major John Eisen-
lord, who was an excellent penman
and secretary of the county committee,
and a man of good education and con-
siderable wealth and who was killed
at Oriskany.

Andrew Fink of Palatine was a
member of the Committee of Safety.
He joined the Second New York regi-
ment under Col. Goove Van Schaick,
in 1775, and was a first lieutenant in
the company commanded by Capt.
Christopher P. Yates. He was later
promoted to a captaincy and in 1781
became a major and served under Col.
Willett at Fort Plain and in the sur-
rounding territory. In the campaign
of 1778 he was with the army under
the immediate command of Washing-
ton and was in the battle of Mon-
mouth. He fought at Johnstown
under Willett in 1781. George Ecker
jr., a member of the Committee of
Safety, lived about a mile north of
Palatine Bridge.

Captain Andrew Dillenbeck of Stone
Arabia was the hero of a fight at
Oriskany which resulted in his death.

Jacob I. Snell of Palatine fought
under Col. Brown at Stone Arabia.
After that officer fell, Snell attempted

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

to escape when he was chased by In-
dians, wounded in the shoulder, scalp-
ed and left to die. He revived, reach-
ed Fort Paris and eventually recov-
ered. His oldest brother was killed
in the battle.

Malachi Bauder was a soldier at
Fort Paris and there kept his family
for safety. One August Sunday morn-
ing he went to his home to examine
the premises, taking along two of his
sons, Malachi and Leonard, aged ten
and twelve years. After going about
the place for some time Malachi sen-
ior became drowsy and lay down in his
orchard under the trees and went to
sleep, the two boys meantime playing
about the house. A sma'I party of In-
dians stole up at the time, and see-
ing the boys, captured them and took
them to Canada. After a time they
were exchanged and shipped for
home, with other prisoners, by way of
Lake Champlain. At a landing Mala-
chi strayed away and the boat left
him. After a year or more his father
getting trace of him left for New Eng-
land, found his son and brought him
back.

Dr. George Vache was without
doubt, the first physician in Palatine.
During the Revolution he was in the
army. On one occasion he was pur-
sued by Indians and, with his horse,
swam the Mohawk three times in one
night, each time being warned by a
little dog which closely followed him.
Dr. Younglove was a surgeon and was
with Herkimer's army at Oriskany and
was captured. His thrilling story is
related elsewhere.

In the present Canajoharie town-
ship, in 1770, were grist mills on the
Canajoharie creek, owned by Gose
Van Alstine and Col. Hendrick Frey.

The present town of St. Johnsville
was settled about 1725. Most of the
early settlers were Germans. Among
them were families named Helle-
brandt, Waters, Getman, Van Riepen,
Walrath and Klock. The first settle-
ment in the present village of St.
Johnsville was made in 1776 by Jacob
Zimmerman, who built the first grist
mill in the town soon after. As early
as 1756 a Reformed church was erect-

ed in the eastern part of the town by
Christian Klock. The Rev. Mr. Rosen-
krantz was the filrst preacher and
Rev. John Henry Disland, the second.
Christopher Nellis kept a tavern in
1783 and a store in 1801. Capt. Jacob
Klock, at whose house the Committee
of Safety met, June 16, 1775, lived
about a mile below the village of St.
Johnsville. He was a member of the
Tryon County Committee of Safety,
and in September, 1775, was appointed
colonel of the Second (Palatine) Bat-
talion of the Tryon county committee,
which position he held till the close
of the war. Capt. Christian House
was an earnest patriot of the Revolu-
tion. He lived at that time near the
west line of St. Johnsville township.
He converted his house into a fort and
stockaded it at his own expense. He
served the American cause faithfully
during the war and died soon after.
Capt. House was buried in an old
burial plot, still in existence near the
former site of Fort House, where lie
the ashes of many a gallant soldier of
the Revolution. Near where the East
Creek depot now stands, Andrew
Helmbold was surprised by Indians
while plowing. He was slain, but suc-
ceeded in killing two of the savages
with a paddle which he carried on his
plow.

The town of Root was formerly in
part a portion of the old Canajoharie
district. Some of its pre-Revolution-
ary settlers were families by the names
of Keller, Meyers, Bellinger, Tanner,
Lewis and Dievendorff.

The town of Danube, now in Herki-
mer county, formed the extreme
western part of the Revolutionary
Canajoharie district and was probably
settled at about the same period as
the rest of the district (some time be-
tween 1720 and 1730). It is of con-
siderable interest as it contains the
residence of Gen. Herkimer and the
monument to him in the adjoining
family plot. Danube also was the seat
of the upper Canajoharie Mohawk
castle. Here a fort was built by Sir
William Johnson to protect the
friendly Mohawks, from French in-
cursion, in 1755. Here a church was

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

also built by Sir William Johnson,
under the supervision it is said, of
Samuel Clyde of Cherry Valley, about
1760. Joseph Brant, in his younger
years, was a resident of the Mohawk
Castle and an intimate acquaintance
sprang up between him and Herkimer
when they were young men. Old
King Hendrick, the celebrated Mo-
hawk chief, who fell fighting under
Johnson at Lake George, is said to
have passed his last years here. Dur-
ing the Revolution hostile Indians
tried to steal the bell of the old Castle
church, but forgot to secure the clap-
per and its clanging in the night
aroused the German settlers, who sal-
lied forth and recaptured it.

The town of Manheim, of Herkimer
county, formed the extreme western
end of the old Palatine district. Ben-
ton places its settlement at about 1755.
Among the names of the pre-Revolu-
tionary settlers are Timmerman,
Schnell, Reimensnyder, Boyer, Keyser,
Van Slyke, Newman, Shaver, Klacks,
Adle, Garter. There were nine men of
the Schnell or Snell family who went
into the Oriskany battle under Her-
kimer. Two returned and seven were
killed.

CHAPTER XI.

1777 — Oriskany — Willett's Trip — Ar-
nold's March — Enemy Flees.

In the summer of 1777 the intended
invasion of the Mohawk valley by St.
Leger was seasonably announced to
the Tryon county authorities by
Thomas Spencer, an Oneida half-breed
sachem, who had learned of it in
Canada on a spying expedition. He
reported that there were 700 Indians
and 400 British regulars at Oswego,
who were to be later joined by 600
Tories, for the invasion of the valley
to effect a junction with Burgoyne at
Albany. For a time th's startling
news seemed to throw the Tryon
county Whigs into a panic and many
wavered in their Continental allegi-
ance. The valley Tories remaining
took on new heart and activity. The
militia rangers constantly scouted the
frontier and the farmers went armed

at their work. Letters of John Jay
and General Schuyler at this time
sternly criticise the Tryon county
Whigs for their panic-stricken condi-
tion and lack of self-reliance. Schuy-
ler wrote that he had sent Col. Van
Schaick's and Col. Wesson's regiments
into Tryon county and says further:
"But if I may be allowed to judge of
the temper of Gen. Herkimer and the
committee of Tryon county, from
their letters to me, nothing would sat-
isfy them unless I march the whole
army into that quarter. With defer-
ence to the better judgment of the
Council of Safety, I cannot by any
means think it prudent to bring on an
open rupture with the savages at the
present time. The inhabitants of
Tryon county are already too much
inclined to lay down the'r arms and
take whatever terms the enemy may
be pleased to afford them. Half the
militia from this (Tryon) county and
the neighboring state of Massachu-
setts we have been under the neces-
sity of dismissing; but the whole
should go."

In the light of the truly heroic part
the Mohawk valley men played in the
conflicts which followed, the opinion
must prevail that Gen. Schuyler did
not read aright the temper of these
militia men. A few days prior to the
date of this letter written from Fort
Edward, July 18, 1777, the county com-
mittee had been called upon to rein-
force Fort Stanwix, or Fort Schuyler,
as later called. Of the 200 militia or-
dered to muster and garrison this post,
only a part responded. They had also
ordered two companies of regular
troops, stationed at different points in
the county under their direction, to go
to Fort Schuyler. These regulars made
various excuses, among them that
their duties as scouts unfitted them
for garrison work, but they reluct-
antly complied. Realizing that Tryon
county must depend practically on its
own men to resist this invasion. Gen.
Herkimer, on July 17, 1777, issued a
proclamation announcing that 2,000
"Christians and savages" had assem-
bled at Oswego for a descent upon the
Mohawk valley, and warning the en-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tire population to be ready at a mo-
ment's notice to take tlie field in fight-
ing order, the men from 16 to 60 for
active service and the aged and infirm
to defend the women and children at
points where they might gather for
safety. Those who did not voluntarily
muster for service when called upon
were to be brought along by force. At
this time many valley men were fight-
ing in other American armies.

The Oneida chief, Thomas Spencer,
warned the committee, on July 30,
that the enemy would be upon Fort
Schuyler in a few days. On Aug. 2,
Lieut. -Col. Mellon, of Col. Wesson's
regiment, arrived at the fort with two
batteaux of provisions and ammuni-
tion and a reinforcement of 200 men,
both sorely needed. As the last load
of supplies was hurried into the stock-
ade, the vanguard of St. Leger's army
broke from the surrounding forest.

St. Leger came down on Fort
Schuyler from Oswego by way of
Oneida lake and Wood creek, boating
his supplies in flat boats through those
waterways. His progress was con-
siderably delayed in Wood creek by
the tactics of the Americans, who had
felled trees across that stream. This
delay in the British advance was of
vital value to Gansevoort's force at
Fort Schuyler.

This advance party of the enemy
was commanded by Lieut. Bird and
Joseph Brant. Col. Gansevoort com-
manding the fort had 750 men with
six weeks provisions and plenty of
small arm ammunition, but not many
cartridges for the cannon, there being
only about nine per day for six weeks.
The garrison had no flag when the
enemy appeared, but a curious patch-
work, conforming to the recent con-
gressional regulations, soon waved
.over the fort. Shirts were cut up to
form the white stripes, the red was
supplied by pieces of scarlet cloth and
the ground for the stars was made
from a blue cloak. This is said to
have been the earliest use of the stars
and stripes in regular siege and bat-
tle. On Aug. 3, St. Leger arrived in
front of the fort with his entire force
and demanded its surrender, sending

in a pompous manifesto at the same
time, both matters being treated with
derision by Gansevoort and his men.
Active hostilities at once began, sev-
eral soldiers in the fort being killed by
the enemy's gun fire on the first and
second days.

At the news of St. Leger's invest-
ment of Fort Schuyler, Gen. Herkimer
summoned the militia to action. Not
only the militia, but most of the mem-
bers of the county committee took the
field. The patriots concentrated at
Fort Dayton to the number of over 800.
This Tryon militia was composed al-
most entirely of farmers, some in uni-
form and others in homespun and
buckskin.

Molly Brant, then at the Canajoharie
Castle, warned St. Leger of Herkimer's
intended advance. The non-combat-
ants, women, children, aged and in-
firm, were gathered in the valley forts
during this movement. Forts Dayton,
Herkimer, Plain, Paris, Johnstown,
Hunter and the smaller posts held
their quota of these defenseless
ones. A few able-bodied men were
probably assigned to each fort, in ad-
dition to the boys, old men and infirm,
who were expected to aid in the de-
fense. These posts were also the ren-
dezvous of the militia of the neighbor-
hood for the march to German Flats.

At Fort Dayton was a garrison con-
sisting of part of Col. Wesson's Mas-
sachusetts regiment, but Herkimer left
them there and set out on his march,
starting on August 4. The patriot
Tryon county regiment followed the
road on the north side of the river,
passing through the clearings, which
became more and more infrequent, and
plunging into the dense forests. On
account of the great number of wagons
which were being convoyed, the little
army was strung out for a distance of
two miles or more. Most of these oxcarts
were loaded with supplies and pro-
visions for Fort Schuyler. The pro-
gress of these wagons along the nar-
row trail was difficult and the advance
of the American militia was neces-
sarily slow. The first night's camp
was made west of Staring creek,
about twelve miles from Fort Dayton.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

On the morning of August 5, Her-
kimer and his men pushed on west-
ward until they came to the ford op-
posite old Fort Schuyler, where they
crossed to the south bank. The Am-
erican force might have continued on
the north side, but this would have
necessitated the transportation of all
the ox-carts across the river at Fort
Schuyler, in the face of the enemy, and
the Tryon county general judged this
too hazardous a proceeding. This ford
was at the present site of Utica. Her-
kimer's camp on that night (August
5) extended between the Oriskany
creek and Sauquoit creek, upward of
two miles through the forest. It was
guarded on the west by Oriskany
bluff and on the east by the Mohawk
river. Three scouts were sent forward to
inform Col. Gansevoort of the approach
of Herkimer's force. The discharge of
three cannon at the fort was to be the
signal of their arrival there and for
Herkimer to advance upon the enemy
while Gansevoort made a sortie
against their camp. The scouts sent
to Gansevoort by Herkimer were Hel-
mer, Demuth and an unknown.

With the wisdom of an old frontier
fighter, it was Herkimer's intention to
stop at this point on the morning of
August 6 and do some reconnoitering,
while awaiting the expected signals.

St. Leger, aware of the patriot ad-
vance, had sent a detachment of In-
dians under Brant and Tories under
Col. Butler and Major Watts to meet
them. Herkimer's subordinates were
anxious to advance before the ex-
pected signal from the fort and on the
morning of August 6, became practic-
ally mutinous. His officers attacked
him violently for the delay and Cols.
Cox and Paris denounced him as a
coward and a Tory. Calmly the gen-
eral told them that he considered him-
self charged with the care as well as
the leadership of his men and did not
wish to place them in a perilous po-
sition from which it would be im-
possible to extricate them; he added
that those who were boasting loudest

of their courage, would be first to run
in the face of the enemy, and satisfied
the clamor of his officious subordinates
by giving the order "Vorwaert." With
great shouting the undisciplined mi-
litia grasped their arms and rushed
forward. Doubtless Gen. Herkimer
realized that his officers and men, or a
considerable part of them, would have
gone on without him, and hence he
gave the order to advance.

The line of march soon led into a
curving ravine with a marshy bottom,
traversed by a causeway of logs and
earth. Along this road the patriots
were rushing hastily forward when
the advance guard was shot down and
the forest rang with Indian yells. The
enemy cut off the baggage train and
the rear battalion of Col. Visscher,
which was pushed back in a disor-
derly retreat, although Capt. Gardi-
nier's company and some oth.ers of
Visscher's men succeeded in pushing
forward and joining the American
main body. They were pursued and
badly punished by the Indians.
The 600 men left in the ravine
were thrown into confusion and for a
time seemed likely to be anni'nilated,
as the slaughter was terrific. Al-
though undisciplined and insubordi-
nate, they were not panicstricken and
soon were fighting back effectively
against an enemy of more than double
their number.

Early in the action Gen. Herkimer
was severely wounded by a bullet
which shattered one of his legs just
below the knee and killed his horse.
Directing h's saddle to be placed
against a tree, and having his wounds
bound as well as possible, he lit his
pipe, supported himself by his saddle
and calmly directed the battle.

After an hour of fighting with the
foe closing gradually in upon them.
Captain Seeber, without orders, threw
the remnant of his men into a circle,
the better to repel the attacks of the
enemy. This example was followed
by other sections of Herkimer's little
army, whose defense from then be-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

came so effective that it was thought
necessary for a part of the Royal
Greens and Butler's Rangers to make
a bayonet charge. Thus old valley
neighbors fought each other in this
deadly hand-to-hand combat, when a
heavy thunderstorm broke upon the
fighters in the little ravine. The
Tories drew off and there was a lull
in the conflict. Herkimer's men took
advantage of this to concentrate upon
an advantageous piece of ground.
Another piece of tactics now adopted
was to place two men behind a single
tree to fire alternately, thus protect-
ing each other from the savages, who,
when a marksman was alone, rushed
upon him and tomahawked him as
soon as he had fired and before he
could reload. Meanwhile the Indians,
good for nothing at the point of the
bayonet and being severely punished
were wavering.

The signal gun from the fort now
sounded gratefully upon the ears of
the grimly-fighting farmers. Col. Wil-
lett was assaulting St. Leger's camp.
Here Brant tried an Indian trick of
sending a company of Johnson's
Greens disguised with American hats
toward the patriots. Capt. Jacob
Gardinier of Visscher's regiment, was
the first to detect the stratagem. To
Lieut. Jacob Sammons, who thought
them friends, said Gardinier: "Not
so; don't you see them green coats?"
They were hailed by Captain Gardi-
nier, just at which moment one of his
own men, seeing a friend, as he sup-
posed, approaching, sprang forward
and offered his hand, which was
grasped and he was drawn into the
advancing corps a prisoner. The
American struggled to free himself
and Gardinier, jumping into the melee,
killed the Tory captor with the blow
of a spontoon. Instantly the captain
was set upon by several of the enemy,
one of whom he slew, and wounded
another. Three of the foe now grap-
pled with Gardinier and hurled him to

the ground and held him there while
one of the "Greens" pinioned his thigh
to the ground with a bayonet. Another
attempted to thrust a bayonet into
his chest, but he caught it and jerked
its owner down upon his body where
he held him as a protection, until
Adam Miller, one of his own men,
came to his rescue and, with his
clubbed musket, brained one of the
assailants who was holding down the
fighting captain. The other two now
turned upon Miller, when Gardinier,
partly rising", snatched up his spear
and killed one of them, who proved to
be Captain McDonald of Johnson's
Greens, who is believed to have been
the invader of the Schoharie settle-
ments a short time before. In one of
these terrible hand-to-hand fights,
Captain Watts was fearfully wounded
and taken prisoner, and Captains Hare
and Wilson of Johnson's Greens were
killed.

The enemy being thus unmasked, a
bloody fight at close quarters ensued.
Bayonets, clubbed guns, swords, pis-
tols, tomahawks, war clubs, spears and
knives were used with murderous ef-
fect. In this fierce melee the valley
farmers had the advantage and killed
and beat back their enemies, until the
Indians sounded their call of retreat,
"Oonah, oonah," and slunk back into
the forest. Thus deserted, the Tories
fled, leaving the field in the possession
of the Tryon county militia, whom a
miracle had saved from extermination.
During the six hours of conflict nearly
200 Americans had been killed. The
wooded glen was littered with hun-
dreds of wounded, dead and dying of
both forces. The loss of the enemy
was about 200, including 100 Indians.

The enemy precipitately retired
from the field and left the provincials
master of it at about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. The decimated battalions
were, by their surviving commanders
as far as practicable, hastily reorgan-
ized. The wounded, having been

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

placed upon rude litters, the troops
took up their mournful retrograde
march, and encamped that night on
the site of old Fort Schuyler (now
Utica), eight miles from the battle-
field. From this point, Gen. Herki-
mer and Capt. Jacob Seeber and pos-
sibly one or two others of the wounded,
were taken down the river in a boat
to Foi't Herkimer. At this place,
Capt. Seeber was left with a broken
leg, which was amputated and he bled
to death. Gen. Herkimer was taken to
his home below Little Falls — probably
in a boat to the head of the rapid —
and died there ten days later. It is
stated that Lieut.-Col. Campbell and
Major Clyde brought off the shattered
troops.

Colonel Willett, on the way down
the valley to obtain relief from Gen.
Schuyler for the fort bearing his
name, wrote a letter concerning the
siege by St. Leger and Willett's sortie.
It was published in the Connecticut
Courant, August 27, 1777, and is in
part as follows:

"On Saturday evening, Aug. 2d, five
battoes arrived with stores for the
garrison. About the same time, we
discovered a number of fires, a little
better than a mile from the northwest
of the fort. The stores were all got
safe in, and the troops which were a
guard to the batteaux marched up.
[This was part of a Massachusetts
regiment under Lieut. Col. Mellon
from Fort Dayton.] The Captain of
the bateaux and a few of his men, de-
laying their time about the boats, were
fired on by a party of Indians, which
killed one man and wounded two, the
Captain himself was taken prisoner.

"Next morning the enemy appeared
in the edge of the woods about a mile
below the fort, where they took post,
in order to invest it upon that quarter
and to cut off the communication with
the country from whence they sent in
a fiag, who told us of their great
power, strength and determination, in
such a manner as gave us reason to
suppose they were not possessed of
strength to take the fort. Our answer
was, our determination to support it.

"All day on Monday, we were much
annoyed by a sharp fire of musketry
from the Indians and German riflemen
as our men were obliged to be exposed
on the works, killed one man and
wounded seven. The day after, the
firing was not so heavy, and our men
were under better cover; all the dam-
age was one man killed by a rifle ball.
This evening [Tuesday, Aug. 5], in-
dicated something in contemplation by
the enemy. The Indians were uncom-
monly noisy, they made most horrid
yellings great part of the evening in
the woods, hardly a mile from the fort.
A few cannon shot were fired among
them.

[The batteaux guard, which brought
into Fort Schuyler, the five boatloads
of supplies were part of Col. Wesson's
Massachusetts regiment from Fort
Dayton, under com.mand of Lieut. Col.
Mellon. The German rifiemen, referred
to, composed a company of St. Leger's
very mixed force of British valley
Tories, Indians and these Germans.]

"Wednesday morning there was an
unusual silence. We discovered some
of the enemy marching along the edge
of the woods downwards. About 11
o'clock three men got into the fort,
who brought a letter from Gen. Her-
kimer of the Tryon County militia,
advising us that he was at Eriska
[Oriskany], eight miles off, with a
part of his militia and purposed to
force his way to the fort for our relief.
In order to render him what service
we could, it was agreed that I should
make a sally from the fort with 250
men, consisting of one-half Ganse-
voort's and one-half Massachusetts
ditto, and one field piece — an iron
three pounder.

"The men were instantly paraded
and I ordered the following disposi-
tion to be made. [Here follows the ar-
rangement of his troops and plan of
march.] Nothing could be more for-
tunate than this enterprise. We to-
tally routed two of the enemy's en-
campments, destroyed all the provi-
sions that were in them, brought off
upwards of 50 brass kettles and more
than 100 blankets, [two articles which
were much needed.] With a quantity

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

of muskets, tomahawks, spears, am-
munition, clothing, deerskins, a variety
of Indian affairs and Ave colors — the
whole of which, on our return to the
fort, were displayed on our flag-staff
under the Continental flag. The In-
dians took chieflj' to the woods, the
rest of the troops then at the posts, to
the river. The number of men lost by
the enemy is uncertain, six lay dead in
their encampment, two of which were
Indians; several scattered about in the
woods; but their greatest loss appear-
ed to be in crossing the river, and no
inconsiderable number upon the oppo-
site shore. I was happy in preventing
the men from scalping even the In-
dians, being desirous, if possible, to
teach Indians humanity; but the men
were much better employed, and kept
in excellent order. We were out so
long that a number of British regulars,
accompanied by what Indians, etc.,
could be rallied, had marched down to
a thicket on the other side of the river,
about 50 yards from the road we were
to cross on our return. Near th's
place I had ordered the field piece.
The ambush was not quite formed
when we discovered them, and gave
them a well-directed fire. Here, es-
pecially, Maj. Bedlow with his field
piece, did considerable execution.
Here, also, the enemy were annoyed
by a fire of several cannon from the
fort, as they marched round to form
the ambuscade. The enemy's fire was
very wild, and although we were much
exposed, did no execution at all. We
brought in four prisoners, three of
whom were wounded. * * * From
these prisoners we received the first
accounts of Gen. Herkimer's militia
being ambuscaded on their march, and
of the severe battle they had with
them about two hours before, which
gave us reason to think they had, for
the present, given up their design of
marching to the fort. I should not do
justice to the officers and soldiers who
were with me on this enterprise, if I
was not, in most positive terms, to as-
sure the^'r countrymen that they, in
general, behaved with the greatest
gallantry on this occasion; and, next
to the very kind and signal interposi-

tion of Divine Providence, which was
powerfully manifested in their favor,
it was undoubtedly owing to that noble
intrepidity which discovered itself in
this attack, and struck the enemy
with such a panic as disenabled them
from taking pains to direct their fire,
that we had not one man killed or
wounded. The officers, in general, be-
haved so well that it is hardly right to
mention the names of any particular
ones for their singular valor. But, so
remarkably intrepid was Capt. Van
Benscoten [he commanded the ad-
vance guard of 30 men] and so rapid
was his attack, that it demands from
me this testimony of his extraordinary
spirit."

Among the effects taken from the
enemy's camp were several bundles of
papers and letters, which had been
taken from Gen. Herkimer's baggage
wagons a few hours before, not yet
opened, one of which was for Col.
Willett. There were also papers of Sir
John Johnson, St. Leger and other of-
ficers of the enemy's camp, some of
which were of service. Willett writes
further: "That evening (August 8) it
was agreed by the field officers that I
should undertake with Lieut. Stock-
well — who is a good woodsman — to
endeavor to get down into the coun-
try and procure such force as would
extirpate the miscreant band. After a
severe march, of about 50 miles,
through the wilderness, we in safety
arrived at this place" (supposed to
mean Fort Dayton, but as Port Plain
is 50 miles from Port Schuyler, it may
be that this letter was written from
the local fort). This was a heroic and
hazardous enterprise and resulted in
bringing up Arnold's force.

Prom the day of Oriskany until the
enemy reached Oswego on their re-
treat a number of American prisoners
were barbarously beaten and murder-
ed by Tories and Indians. Col. Paris
of Palatine and Robert Crouse of Min-
den were among these. Some of these
victims were eaten by the Indians.

A letter of Col. Claus shows the de-
sire of the Tryon county Tories to
murder and pilfer the homes of their
old neighbors after the battle: "Sir

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

John Johnson proposed (while siege
of Fort Schuyler was still being prose-
cuted) to march down the country
with about 200 men, and I intended
joining him with a sufficient body of
Indians, but the Brigadier (St. Leger)
said he could not spare the men, and
disapproved of it. The inhabitants in
general were ready (as we afterward
learned) to submit and come in. A
flag was sent to invite the inhabitants
to submit and be forgiven, and assur-
ance given to prevent the Indians
from being outrageous; but the com-
manding officers of the German Flats
(Fort Dayton) hearing of it seized the
flag, consisting of Ensign Butler of the
Eighth Regiment, ten soldiers and
three Indians, and took them up as
spies. A few days after. Gen. Arnold,
coming with some cannon and a rein-
forcement, made the inhabitants re-
turn to their obedience." Simms says
Claus's opinion that the Tryon county
settlers were ready to submit was a
delusion.

St. Leger now made new demands
for surrender on Gansevoort, who was
ignorant of the result of the effort of
Herkimer's men, but who replied that
he would defend the fort to the last
extremity. Siege operations were re-
newed with increasing vigor but the
British artillery was too light to be ef-
fective. It was feared the garrison
might be starved into a surrender if
not relieved, and accordingly on the
night of the 10th of August, Col. Wil-
lett and Maj. Stockwell set out to pass
the enemy's lines and rally the sup-
port of the county militia with whom
Willett was deservedly popular.
Reaching Stillwater after a most
perilous journey, Col. Willett induced
Gen. Schuyler to send Gen. Arnold
with a Massachusetts regiment of 800
men for the relief of Fort Schuyler.
The force set out the next day, ac-
companied by Col. Willett, and reached
Fort Dayton where it waited for the
militia to assemble, which they did
in considerable numbers, considering
their recent losses at Oriskany.

St. Leger issued manifestos to the
people of Tryon county signed by Sir
John Johnson and Cols. Butler and

Claus, in which he hoped by threats of
Indian barbarities to induce Col. Gan-
sevoort to surrender. In trying to
circulate this document down the val-
ley, Walter Butler was arrested by
Wesson near Fort Dayton, tried as a
spy before Gen. Arnold, and con-
victed but was saved from death
by the intercession of American of-
ficers who knew him. Butler was
sent to Albany and imprisoned. Gen.
Arnold issued a stirring proclamation
calculated to neutralize the effect of
the Tory manifesto in the valley.

The address issued by Arnold at
Fort Dayton, to counteract the Tory
proclamation, was well calculated to
awe the timid and give courage to the
wavering Whigs. The prestige of his
name gave great weight to it. He
prefaced it with a flourish of his title
and position as follows: "By the Hon-
orable Benedict Arnold, Esq., general
and commander-in-chief of the army
of the United States of America on
the Mohawk River."

He denounced a certain Barry St.
Leger "a leader of a banditti of rob-
bers, murderers and traitors, composed
of savages of America and more sav-
age Britons," and denounced him as
a seducer of the ignorant and unthink-
ing from the cause of freedom, and as
threatening ruin and destruction to
the people. He then offered a free
pardon to all who had joined him or
upheld him, "whether savages, Ger-
mans, Americans or Britons " provided
they laid down their arms and made
oath of allegiance to the United States
within three days. But if they per-
sisted in their "wicked courses" and
"were determined to draw on them-
selves the just vengeance of Heaven
and their exasperated country, they
must expect no mercy from either."

St. Leger ran forward his trenches
to within 150 yards of the fort, but the
accurate firing of the garrison pre-
vented a nearer approach. His weak
artillery had little effect. The defend-
ers, utterly ignorant of any relief ap-
proaching, began to be apprehensive
and some suggested surrender. Ganse-
voort stoutly maintained he would de-
fend the fort to the last extremity and

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

would then try to cut his way out at
night. This proved unnecessary as, on
the 22d of August, to the surprise and
mystification of the fort's defenders,
the enemy suddenly broke camp and
vanished.

This was the result of the cele-
brated ruse adopted by Arnold who
had captured an eccentric Tory sup-
posed to be half-witted, in company
with Butler. His name was Han Yost
Schuyler and his sentence of death
was remitted if he should carry out
Arnold's instructions. Schuyler's

brother was retained as hostage for
his behavior. Bullets were fired
through Schuyler's coat and he was
sent on his mission, while arrange-
ments were made with an Oneida In-
dian to reach St. Leger at the same
time. Both arrived at short intervals
and told an extravagant story of the
force on the way to raise the siege.
When questioned closely as to the
numbers of the provincials marching
up the valley the tale-bearers merely
pointed to the leaves on the trees.
The effect of this story upon the Tory
force and particularly upon the Indians
can be imagined after the losses they
had suffered. The retreat, to Oneida
lake and Oswego, was begun at
once and, disgusted by the conduct
of the campaign, the Indians stripped,
robbed and even murdered their late
allies. Schuyler next day deserted
from the retreating enemy, and re-
turned to Fort Schuyler where he told
his story and was received with lively
demonstrations of joy. Gansevoort
sent a party after the flying enemy,
which returned with a number of pris-
oners, a large quantity of spoil, and
St. Leger's desk and private papers.

General Arnold sent out from Fort
Dayton to Fort Schuyler, after Schuy-
ler's departure, a force of 900 soldiers.
At the Oriskany battleground they
were compelled to make a wide de-
tour on account of the terrible stench
from the battlefield. Many gruesome
sights came to the soldiers' notice,
mention of which is added later. Bur-
ials of the bodies had been contem-
plated but could not be carried out, as
the officers feared for the health of

the soldiers. At Fort Schuyler, Ar-
nold's arrival was greeted with a mili-
tary salute and great cheering and
demonstrations on the part of the gar-
rison. In all probability, had the
enemy not run, they would have been
soundly beaten by Arnold's and Ganse-
voort's men. cut up and disheartened
as the British force was by their en-
counter with Herkimer and his Mo-
hawk valley men at Oriskany. Ar-
nold's force undoubtedly contained
several hundred of the Tryon county
militia who had fought on that fa-
mous field two weeks before. Gen.
Arnold and his regiment shortly there-
after turned back and marched down
the valley to Cohoes where he joined
the American army gathered to oppose
Burgoyne at the mouth of the Mo-
hawk. His intrepid valor and immense
aid, in the subsequent battles of Still-
water, which wiped out the British
army, are well known.

Whether the action of Herkimer and
his men at Oriskany is regarded as an
actual defeat, a drawn battle or a
practical victory, nevertheless the suc-
cessful defense of Fort Schuyler was
one of the causes which contributed
to Burgoyne's defeat at Saratoga. It
is to be doubted whether the St. Leger
force would have been intimidated so
easily had not they suffered severely
at the hands of the Tryon county mil-
itia. In all the word story of armed
conflict there is no more desperate or
heroic flght recorded than that In the
wooded glen of Oriskany.

In the valley homes was great
mourning For such a small popu-
lation, the losses were almost
overwhelming. In some families the
male members were almost or even
entirely wiped out in some Instances.
It was many a long weary year before
the sorrow and suffering caused by
the sacriflces at Oriskany had been
forgotten in the valley of the Mohawk.

In closing the Oriskany campaign
the following letter from the chair-
man of the committee to the Albany
committee, written three days after
the battle, will be found of interest:

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

German Flats Committee Chamber.
August 9, 1777.

Gentlemen: Just arrived Capt. De-
muth and John Adam Helmer, the
bearer hereof, with an account that
they arrived with some difficulty at
Fort Schuyler, the 6th of the month,
being sent there by Gen. Herkimer.
Before he set out for the held of l:)at-
tle, he requested some assistance from
the fort in order to make an effort to
facilitate our march on the fort. Two
hundred and six men were granted.
They made a sally, encountered the
enemy, killed many, destroyed the
tents of the enemy and came off vic-
torious to the fort. The commander
(of the fort) desired them to acquaint
us, and his superiors, that he is want-
ing assistance, and thinks to stand
out so long that timely assistance
could come to his relief.

Concerning the battle: On our side,
all accounts agreed, that a number of
the enemy is killed; the flower of our
militia either killed or wounded, ex-
cept 150, who stood the field and forced
the enemy to retreat; the wounded
were brought off by those brave men;
the dead they left on the field for want
of proper support. We will not take
upon us to tell of the behavior of the
rear. So far as we know, they took to
flight the first firing. Gen. Herkimer
is wounded; Col. Cox seemingly killed,
and a great many officers are among
the slain. We are surrounded by
Tories, a party of 100 of whom are
now on their march through the
woods. We refer you for further in-
formation to the bearer. Major Watts
of the enemy is killed. Joseph Brant,
William Johnson, several Tories and a
number of Indians.

Gentlemen, we pray you will send
us succor. By the death of most part
of our committee officers, the field of-
ficers and General being wounded, ev-
erything is out of order; the people
entirely dispirited; our county as Eso-
pus unrepresented, so that we can not
hope to stand it any longer without
your aid; we will not mention the
shocking aspect our fields do show.
Faithful to our country, we remain
Your sorrowful brethren.

The few members of this committee.
Peter J. Dygert, Chairman.

To the Chairman of the Committee of
Albany.

Dygert was in error as to the death
of Brant and also as to the march of
the 100 Tories. Probably many ru-
mors were rife in the valley immedi-
ately after Oriskany.

William Johnson was a half-breed
Mohawk and a reputed son of Sir Wil-
liam Johnson.

CHAPTER XIL

1777 — A Contemporary Account of the
Battle at Oriskany — Lossing on Wil-
lett's Journey to Schuyler for Aid —
The Oriskany Roster.

A contemporary account of the Oris-
kany battle is appended. This was
published in the Pennsylvania Even-
ing Post, Aug. 19 and 21, 1777, and is
reprinted from that very interesting
volume, "Diary of the American Revo-
lution:"

"Aug. 7: — Yesterday, about nine
o'clock, an engagement ensued be-
tween a part of the militia of Tryon
county, under the command of Gen-
eral Herkimer, and a party of sav-
ages, Tories and regulars, a short
distance from Fort Stanwix [Fort
Schuyler]. It lasted till three o'clock
in the afternoon, when the British
thought proper to retire, leaving Gen-
eral Herkimer master of the field. Un-
luckily, however, the General and
some valuable officers got wounded or
killed in the beginning.. But this did
in nowise intimidate the ardor of the
men, and the general, although he had
two wounds, did not leave the field
till the action was over. He seated
himself on a log, with his sword
drawn, animating his men.

"About one o'clock. Colonel Ganse-
voort having received information of
General Herkimer's march, sent out
Lieutenant-Colonel Willett, with two
hundred men, to attack an encamp-
ment of the British, and thereby facil-
itate General Herkimer's march. In
this the colonel succeeded, for after
an engagement of an hour he had com-
pletely routed the enemy and taken
one captain and four privates. The
baggage taken was very considerable,
such as money, bear skins, officers'
baggage and camp equipage; one of
the soldiers had for his share a scar-
let coat, trimmed with gold lace to
the full, and three laced hats. When
Colonel Willett returned to the fort,
he discovered two hundred regulars
in full march to attack him. He im-
mediately ordered his men to prepare
for battle, and, having a field piece
with him, Captain Savage so directed

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

its fire as to play in concert with one
out of the fort; these, with a brisk
fire from his small arms, soon made
these heroes scamper off with great
loss. Colonel Willett then marched
with his booty into the fort, having
not a single man killed or wounded.

"General St. Leger, who commands
the enemy's force in that quarter, soon
after sent in a flag to demand the
delivery of the fort, offering that the
garrison should march out with their
baggage, and not be molested by the
savages; that, if this was not com-
plied with, he would not answer for
the conduct of the Indians, if the gar-
rison fell into their hands; that Gen-
eral Burgoyne was in possession of
Albany. Colonel Gansevoort, after
animadverting on the barbarity and
disgraceful conduct of the British
officers, in suffering women and chil-
dren to be butchered as they had
done, informed the flag that he was
resolved to defend the fort to the last,
and that he would never give it up so
long as there was a man left to de-
fend it."

Lossing's "Field Book of the Revo-
lution" says of the heroic expedi-
tion of Willett and Stockwell to get
aid for Fort Schuyler:

"Meanwhile the people in the Mo-
hawk valley were in the greatest con-
sternation. St. Leger had arrived from
Oswego and was besieging Fort
Schuyler, while the Tories and Indians
were spreading death and desolation
on every hand. Colonel Gansevoort,
with a handful of men, was closely
shut up in the fort. General Herki-
mer, with the brave militia of Tryon
county, had been defeated at Oriskany,
and the people below hourly expected
the flood of destroyers to pour down
upon them. It was a fearful emer-
gency. Without aid all would be lost.
Brave hearts were ready for bold
deeds. * * * * * Colonel Wil-

lett volunteered to be the messenger,
and on a very stormy night, when
shower after shower came down furi-
ously, he and Lieutenant Stockwell
left the fort, by the sally port, at ten
o'clock, each armed with a spear, and

crept upon tlieir hands and knees
along a morass to the river. They
crossed it upon a log and were soon
beyond the line of drowsy sentinels.
It was very dark, their pathway was
in a thick and tangled wood, and they
soon lost their way. The barking of a
dog apprised them of their proximity
to an Indian camp, and for hours they
stood still, fearing to advance or re-
treat. The clouds broke away toward
dawn and the morning star in the
east, like the light of hope, revealed to
them their desired course. They then
pushed on in a zig zag way, and, like
the Indians, sometimes traversed the
bed of a stream to foil pursuers that
might be upon their trail. They
reached German Flatts in safety and,
mounting fleet horses, hurried down
the valley to the headquarters of Gen-
eral Schuyler who had already heard
of the defeat of Herkimer and was
devising means for the succor of the
garrison at Fort Schuyler.

"The American army of the north,
then at Stillwater, was in wretched
condition and in no shape to offer
battle to the advancing forces under
Burgoyne. Its commander, Schuyler,
ordered a retreat to the Mohawk, and
it was during this movement, while
the Americans were retiring slowly
down the Hudson, that Willett and
Stockwell came, asking aid, to the
headquarters at Stillwater.

"Not a moment was to be lost. The
subjugation of the whole valley would
inevitably follow the surrender of Fort
Schuyler and, the victors gaining
strength, would fall like an avalanche
upon Albany, or, by junction, swell
the approaching army of Burgoyne.
The prudent foresight and far-reach-
ing humanity of General Schuyler at
once dictated his course. He called a
council and proposed sending a de-
tachment immediately to the relief of
Fort Schuyler. His officers opposed
him with the plea that his whole
force was not then sufficient to stay
the oncoming of Burgoyne. The clearer
judgment of Schuyler made him per-
sist in his opinion, and he earnestly
sought them to agree with him. While
pacing the floor in anxious solicitude,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

he overheard the half-whispered re-
mark, 'He means to weaken the
army.' Wheeling suddenly toward the
slanderer and those around him, and
unconsciously biting into several
pieces a pipe he was smoking, he in-
dignantly exclaimed, 'Gentlemen, I
shall take the responsibility upon my-
self; where is the brigadier that will
take command of the relief? I shall
beat up for volunteers tomorrow.' The
brave and impulsive Arnold, ever
ready for deeds of daring, at once
stepped forward and offered his ser-
vices. The next morning the drum
beat and eight hundred stalwart men
were enrolled for the service before
meridian. Fort Schuyler was saved
and the forces of St. Leger were scat-
tered to the winds."

Subsequently Schuyler retreated to
the Mohawk and fortified Van
Schaick's and Haver's island at the
mouth of that stream where it empties
into the Hudson. Schuyler ordered
the grain in his own fields at Saratoga
to be burned, in his retreat, to prevent
the enemy reaping it. The following
is taken from Lossing:

"That seemed to tbe the most eligi-
ble point [the islands at the Mohawk's
mouth] at which to make a stand in
defense of Albany against the ap-
proaches of the enemy from the north
and from the west. At that time there
were no bridges across the Hudson
or the Mohawk, and both streams
were too deep to be fordable except
in seasons of extreme drought. There
was a ferry across the Mohawk, five
miles above the falls (defended by the
left wing under Gen. Arnold), and
another across the Hudson at Half
Moon Point or Waterford. The
'sprouts' of the Mohawk, between the
islands, were usually fordable; and as
Burgoyne would not, of course, cross
the Hudson or attempt the ferry upon
the Mohawk, where a few resolute
men could successfully oppose him,
his path was of necessity directly
across the mouth of the river. Forti-
fications were accordingly thrown up on
the islands and upon the mainland,
faint traces of which are still visible."

Aug. 6, 1777, occurred the battle of

Oriskany. On Aug. 22, St. Leger and
his force fled from before Fort Schuy-
ler. Aug. 16, the New Hampshire
militia, under Stark, beat the enemy
at Bennington. Gen. Schuyler's army
of the north began to be greatly re-
inforced about this time when Gen.
Gates superseded him. On Sep. 19 oc-
curred the first battle of Stillwater,
which was a virtual defeat for the
British. On Oct. 7, 1777, Burgoyne was
decisively beaten and started to fall
back. Oct. 17, the British army sur-
rendered to the American force. Over
2,000 of the 6,000 captives were Ger-
man mercenaries.

Burgoyne's surrender is said to have
been somewhat hastened by an Am-
erican cannon ball which crossed his
breakfast table during a council of the
British officers.

Benedict Arnold was born in Nor-
wich, Conn., in 1740, a descendant of
Benedict Arnold, one of Rhode Island's
early governors. From 1763 to 1767
he kept a drug and book store in New
Haven. At the outbreak of the Revo-
lution he was in command of a volun-
teer company of that city and marched
to Cambridge with it. He was in many
of the stirring events of the war, up
to his treason in 1780. Among his
greatest services were his gallant
leadership at Saratoga and his clever
conduct of the relief of Fort Schuy-
ler. He held commands in the
British army during the latter part of
the war and at its end went to Eng-
land. From 1786 to 1793 he was in
business at St. Johns, N. B., where he
was so dishonest in his dealings that
he was hung in effigy by a mob. He
died in London in 1804, aged 63 years.

Col. Peter Gansevoort, the intrepid
commander of Fort Schuyler, was a
Revolutionary patriot and soldier
of the highest type and he de-
serves a niche in the hall of fame
dedicated to the heroes of the Revolu-
tion. Gansevoort was born in Albany,
July 17, 1749. He accompanied Mont-
gomery into Canada in 1775, with the
rank of major, and the next year he
was appointed a colonel in the New

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

York line, which commission he held
when he defended Fort Schuyler
against St. Leger. For his gallant de-
fense of that post he received the
thanks of congress, and in 1781 was
promoted to the rank of brigadier-
general by the state of New York.
After the war he was for many years
a military agent. He held several of-
fices of trust and "was always esteem-
ed for his bravery and judgment as a
soldier and for his fidelity, Intelligence,
and probity as a citizen." He died July
2, 1812, aged 62 years.

Of the 800 or more who consti-
tuted the patriot army at Oriskany
only the following soldiers are record-
ed. Some of these are known also to
have come from certain Tryon county
sections, and wherever this is verified,
it is given. The word, Mohawk, refers
to the present town of Montgomery
county. The letter K appended
stands for killed; W for wounded; P
for prisoner. Following is the "Oris-
kany roster:"

Abram, Arndt, Minden
Alter, Jacob, Minden
K. Ayer, Frederick, Schuyler

Bellinger, Col. Peter, German Flats
P. Bellinger, Lieut. Col. Frederick,
German Flats
Bell, Capt. Geo. Henry, Fall Hill
K. Bell, Joseph, Fall Hill
K. Bell, Nicholas, Fall Hill
W. Bigbread, Capt. John, Palatine
Bauder, Melchert, Palatine
Boyer, John, Remesnyderbush
K. Bowman, Capt. Jacob, Canajoharie
P. Blauvelt, Maj. (supposed mur-
dered), Mohawk
Bellinger, Adam
K. Bliven, Maj. John, Florida, Mo-
hawk committee
Bellinger, John
K. Billington, Samuel, Palatine Com-
mittee of Safety

Billington, , Palatine

Bargy, Peter, Frankfort
K. Cox, Col. Ebenezer, Danube, Cana-
joharie committee
Campbell, Lieut. Col. Samuel,

Cherry Valley, Canajoharie com-
mittee
Clyde, Maj. Samuel, Cherry Valley,

Canajoharie committee
Copeman, Capt. Abram, Canajo-
harie
Covenhoven (now Conover),

Isaac, Glen
easier, Jacob, Minden
Casler, John, Minden
easier, Adam, Minden

Clock, John I., St. Johnsville
W. Cook, John, Palatine

Coppernoll, Richard, Minden
Cox, William, Minden
K. Crouse, Robert, Minden
Crouse, George, Minden
Clemens, Jacob, Schuyler
W. Conover, Peter
K. Cunningham, Andrew, Amsterdam

Collier, Jacob, Florida
K. Campbell, Lieut. Robert,

Cherry Valley
K. Dievendorf, Capt. Henry. Minden
K. Dillenbeck, Capt. Andrew, Palatine
K. Davis, Capt. John James, Mohawk
K. Davis, Martinus, Mohawk
Dievendorf, John, Minden
Dunckel, Francis, Freysbush
Dygert, Peter, Palatine
Dunckel, Hon. (John) Peter,

Minden
Dunckel, Hon. Garret, Minden
Dunckel, Hon. Nicholas, Minden
K. Davis, Benjamin, Mohawk

Dockstader, John, German Flats
K. Davy, Capt. Thomas, Springfield
K. Dygert, John, Palatine Committee
of Safety
Dygert, Capt. William, German

Flats
Demuth, Capt. Marx, Deerfield
DeGraff, Nicholas, Amsterdam
Degraff, Capt. Immanuel, Am-
sterdam
Dygert, Peter S., German Flats
Dygert, George, German Flats
Dorn, Peter, Johnstown
K. Eisenlord, Maj. John, Palatine

(secretary county committee)
v^ Empie, Jacob, Palatine
Ehle, William, Palatine
P. Ehle, Peter

Eysler, John, Remesnyderbush
W. & P. Frey, Maj. John, Palatine,

Palatine committee
K. Fox, Capt. Christopher P., Palatine
W. Fox, Capt. Christopher W., Pala-
tine, Palatine committee
Fox, Peter, Palatine
Fox, William, Palatine
Fox, Charles, Palatine
Fox, Christopher, Palatine
W. Folts, Conrad, Herkimer
K. Failing, Jacob, Canajoharie
W. Failing, Henry, Canajoharie
Failing, Henry N., Canajoharie
Fralick. Valentine, Palatine
Fonda, Jelles, Mohawk
Fonda, Adam, Mohawk, Mohawk

committee
Frank, Adam
W. Gardinier, Capt. Jacob, Glen
W. Gardinier, Lieut. Samuel, Glen
K. Grant, Lieut. Petrus, Amsterdam
Geortner, Peter, Minden
Geortner, George, Canajoharie
K. Gray, Nicholas, Palatine

Gray, Lieut. Samuel, Herkimer

K. Graves, Capt. ,

Gremps, John (15 years old),

Palatine
Gros, Capt. Lawrence, Minden.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

K.
K.

— K.

K.
K.

Gray, Silas, Florida
Groot, Lieut. Petrus, Amsterdam
Harter, Henry, German Flats
Herkimer, Gen. Nicholas, Danube,

member Canajoharie committee
Herkimer, Capt. George, Fort

Herkimer, member German Flats

committee
He'.mer, Capt. Frederick, German

Flats, German Flats committee
Helmer, John Adam, German Flats

[Sent to fort bj^ Gen. Herkimer]
House, Lieut. John Joseph, Minden
Hunt, Lieut. Abel (supposed),

Florida
Huffnail, Christian
Hawn, Conrad, Herkimer
Hiller, , Fairfield [shot from

a tree-top]
Huyck, John, Palatine
Hand, Marcus, Florida
Hall, William, Glen
Hill, Nicholas
Klock, Jacob I., Palatine
Klepsaddle, Maj. Enos, German

Flats
Kilts, Conrad, Palatine
Kilts, Peter, Palatine • .

Keller, Andrew, Palatine
Keller, Jacob, Palatine
Keller, Solomon, Palatine
Klock, John, St. Johnsville
Klock, Col. Jacob G., St. Johnsville,

member Palatine committee
Klepsaddle, Jacob, German Flats
Loucks, Lieut. Peter, Palatine
Lintner, George, Minden

Llghthall, , Palatine

Longshore, Solomon, Canajoharie
Loans, Henry, Canajoharie
Lighthall, Francis, Ephratah
Louis, Col., a St. Regis Indian with

Oneidas. [He held a Lieuten-
ant's commission, and was usu-
ally called Colonel.]
Moyer, Jacob, Fairfield [found

with his throat cut.]
Miller, Adam, Glen
Miller, Jelles, Minden
Miller, John P., Minden
Miller, Henry, Minden
Murray, David, Florida
McMaster, Lieut. David, Florida
Markell, Jacoli, Springfield
Merckley, William, Palatine
Myers, Jacob, German Flats
Myers, Joseph, Herkimer
Mowers, Conrad, supposed Danube

Mowers,

Mowers, , brothers

Nellis, Philip, Palatine
Nellis, Christian, Palatine
Nellis, John D., Palatine
Nestell, Peter, Palatine
Newkirk, John, Florida
Newkirk, Garret, son of John,

Florida
Paris, Hon. Isaac (murdered).

Palatine Committee of Safety
Paris, Peter, son of Isaac, Palatine
Petry, Dr. William, Fort Herkimer

Committee of Safety

K.
K.

K.
K.
W.

K.
K.

K.
K.
K.

K.
W^

K.
K.

Pettingill, , Mohawk

Petry, Lieut. Dederick Marcus, Ger-
man Flats, German Flats com-
mittee
Petry, John Marks, German Flats

Pettingall, , town of Mohawk

Putman, Ensign Richard, Johns-
town
Putman, Martinus, Johnstown
Phillips, Cornelius, Florida
Price, Adam, Canajoharie
Pickard, Nicholas, Canajoharie
Petry, John, Herkimei', German

Flats committee
Petry, Joseph, Herkimer
Petry, Lieut. Han Yost, Herkimer
Pritchard, Nicholas, Minden
Quackenbush, Lieut. Abm. D., Glen
Rechtor, Capt. Nicholas, Ephratah
Radnour, Jacob, Minden
Rother, John, Minden
Raysnor, George, Minden
Roof, Johannes, Fort Stanwix; af-
terwards captain of exempts at
Canajoharie
Roof, John, a son (Col. of militia

after the war)
Rasbach, Marx, Kingsland

Ritter, , Fairfield. Suffrenus

Casselman, a tory, boasted of
having cut Ritter's throat.
Sammons, Sampson, Mohawk

Committee of Safety
Sammons, Jacob, Mohawk
Shoemaker, Rudolph, Canajoharie
Scholl, Ensign John Yost, Ephratah
Sitts, Peter, Palatine
Sharrar, Christian, Herkimer

Sharrar, , a school teacher,

Remesnyderbush
Staring, Hendrick, Schuyler
Shoemaker, Thomas, Herkimer
Siebert, Rudolph
Shults, George, Stone Arabia
Shaull, Henry, Herkimer

Shimmel, , Herkimer

Sanders, Henry, Minden

Shafer, William

Seeber, Major William H., Minden,

Canajoharie district committee
Seeber, Capt. Jacob, Minden
Seeber, Suffrenus, Canajoharie
Seeber, Audolph, sons of William

S., Minden
Seeber, James, Canajoharie
Seeber, Henry, Canajoharie
Seeber, Lieut. John, Canajoharie
Spencer, Henry (interpreter), an

Oneida
Schell, Christian, Schellsbush
Smith, George, Palatine
Smith, Henry,

Swarts, Lieut. Jeremiah, Mohawk
Sillenbeck, John G.
Shults, John, Palatine
Shults, George, Stone Arabia
Sommer, Peter
Stowitts, Philip G. P., Root
Snell, Joseph, Snellsbush (now

Manheim)
Snell, Jacob, Snellsbush
Snell, Frederick, Snellsbush

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

K.
K.

w.
w.

K.
K.

P.
W.
K.
K.

K.
P.

W.
P.

P.
W.

Snell, Suffrenus, Snellsbush
Snell, Peter, Snellslnish
Snell, George, Snellsbush
Snell, John, Stone Arabia
Snell, John, Jun., a fifer, Stone

Arabia
Snell, Jacob, a committee man.

Stone Arabia
Sponable, John, Palatine
Thum, Adam, St. Johnsvillc
Thompson, Henrj^, Glen
Timmerman, Jacob, St. Johnsville
Timmerman, Lieut. Henry, St.

Johnsville
Timmerman, Conrad, St. Johns-
ville
Visscher, Capt. John, Mohawk
Visscher, Col. Frederick, Mohawk,

Mohawk committee
Van Alstyne, Martin C, Canajo-

harie
Van Deusen, George, Canajoharie
Vedder, Henry
Vols, Conrad, German Flats
Vols, Lieut. Jacob, German Flats
Van Slyke, Maj. Harmanus.

Palatine, Palatine committee
Van Slyke, Nicholas, a fifer.

Palatine
Van Home, Cornelius, Florida
Van Home, Henry, Florida

Van Slyke, , Canajoharie

Van Antwerp, John, Glen

Wag-ner, Lieut. Col. Peter, Palatine,

Palatine committee

Wormuth, , Palatine

Wagner, Lieut. Peter, Palatine
Wagner, George, Palatine
Wagner, John, Palatine (sons of

Lieut. Col. Peter Wagner)
Wagner, Jacob, Minden
Wagner, John, Canajoharie
Walrath, Garret, Minden
Walter, George, Palatine
Westerman, Peter, Minden
Wohlever, John, Fort Herkimer
Wohlever, Richard, Fort Herkimer
Wohlever, Peter Fort Herkimer
Wohlever, Abram. Fort Herkimer
Walrath, Lieut. Henry, Herkimer
Weaver, Jacob, German Flats
Weaver, Peter James, German Flats
Widrick, Michael, Schuyler
Wrenkle, Lawrence, Fort Herkimer
Walrath, Jacob, Palat'ne
Walrath, Henry, Herkimer
Yates, Capt. Robert, supposed

Root
Yerdon, Nicholas, supposed Minden
Younglove, Moses, surgeon. Stone

Arabia
Youker. Jacob. Oppenheim
Zimmerman, Henry, St. Johnsville

This list of names indicates that
Herkimer's regiment was composed
three-quarters of German farmers,
with some Dutch from the eastern
part of the county, while the balance

of one-quarter consisted of men with
Scotch, Irish, English, Welsh, Swiss
and names of indeterminate national-
ity. The foregoing roster contains 256
names, the largest list yet published
and gives the identity of a little less
than one-third of the Tryon militia of
Oriskany. Further research would
probably add more men to this record.
The homes of 225 of the 256 are given.
Of these 225, the Palatine district fur-
nished 71 and the Canajoharie 66 — 137
combined. This great proportion of
the regiment from this midsection of
the valley may be due largely to the
fact that more effort has been made
to identify the men of Oriskany here-
abouts, particularly by Simms. Of the
five western Montgomery towns. Pala-
tine furnishes to this list 55, Minden
35, Canajoharie 21, St. Johnsville 8,
Root 2, a total of 119. At least 20 of
the patriots were members of the
Tryon County Committee of Safety.

The loss of the American force at
Oriskany is variously stated by writers
of the period. One account gives it
as 160 killed and another as 160 killed
and wounded. Whatever it was it
was large for the force engaged,
and the loss of the enemy at Orisk-
any and during Willett's sortie was
fully as great as that of the pro-
vincials.

Assuming the patriot force, which
set out from Fort Dayton for Orisk-
any, to have numbered 850 men, the
roster here published comprises about
two-sevenths of this valley regiment.
This list, out of 256 names, has 63
killed, 24 wounded and 11 prisoners.
The same proportion carried out would
make the Oriskany losses 224 killed,
84 wounded and 37 prisoners. This
probably is not accurate as to deaths,
as more names of killed soldiers were
probably remembered and recorded
and put on the roster than of the
wounded, prisoners or unharmed. The
proportion of wounded and prisoners
may be assumed to be correct so that
the opinion may be risked that the
American losses were about 160 killed,
80 wounded and 40 prisoners, a total
patriot loss of 280. As 40 Senecas
were killed, on the British side, it may

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

be assumed that, aside from the pris-
oners, the enemy's loss was as great
and possibly greater, and this would
indicate a total casualty list of 2,800
engaged at Oriskany and Willett's
sortie of 500 killed and wounded.
This is merely ventured as an
opinion, and the true or full ex-
tent of the terrible losses at Oriskany
(said to have been the bloodiest
battle of the Revolution) on both
sides will probably never be known.
Certainly scores of dead were left
by the provincials on the field
and similarly, on the enemy's side,
scores were buried by the Indians
and Tories or were left lying in the
forest where the battle was fought.
Scores of wounded were carried down
the vallej- by the patriots and back to
the British and savage camps by the
enemy. The patriot wounded were
frequently slaughtered where thej' laj',
many of the Americans being found,
with their throats cut where they fell,
by their comrades after the savage foe
retreated. Here, as in many other
Revolutionary conflicts, the Indians
acted like bloodthirsty, cowardly wild
beasts and, in many instances, their
Tory comrades outdid them in deeds
of bloody bestiality. The brave men,
who went to this wood of death with
Herkimer, came from the confines of
the present counties of INIontgomery,
Fulton, Herkimer, Oneida and Otsego,
all from the Mohawk valley with the
exception of the men from the Cherry
Valley and Springfield settlements.

After the battle of Oriskany a song,
commemorative of the event was
composed, and for a long time sung in
the Mohawk valley, of which the fol-
lowing is a stanza:

"Brave Herkimer, our General's dead.

And Colonel Cox is slain:
And many more and valiant men.
We ne'er shall see again."

CHAPTER XIII.

1777 — Personal Experiences at Oris-
kany— Indian and Tory Barbarities.

Having had a general review of the
Oriskany campaign, a few of the ex-
periences and particulars of the pa-

triot actors in that affair may be in
order, particularly as they relate to
the Palatine and Canajoharie men.
Regarding details of the Oriskany
conflict, Simms publishes the follow-
ing experiences of those engaged:

"It is only in the minor events at-
tending a battle, that the reader is
made to realize its fullness and see
its horrors, and that the reader may
see this deadly conflict * * * some
of its interesting scenes are here de-
picted.

"At the beginning of the Revolution,
there dwelt in Fort Plain, two broth-
ers named George and Robert Crouse.
The former was a man of family, and
his sons. Col. Robert and Deacon
Henry Crouse, are well remembered in
this community, where four sons of
the latter still reside, [at the time
Simms wrote these incidents.] Rob-
ert was a bachelor. Those brothers
were remarkably large and well form-
ed men, and would have served a
sculptor as a model for a giant race.
Robert was the tallest and came to
be called a seven-footer, and is believ-
ed to have stood full six and a half
feet in his boots, and well propor-
tioned. His great strength became
proverbial, and two anecdotes have
been preserved in the memory of our
venerable friend, William H. Seeber,
going to prove it. In January, 1776, on
the occasion of Gen. Schuyler's as-
sembling troops at Caughnawaga, now
Fonda, to arrest Sir John Johnson,
the Tryon county militia were ordered
thither by Gen. Tenbroeck of Albany,
to whose brigade they then belonged.
Nicholas Herkimer, then the senior
colonel of Tryon county troops, as-
sembled them as directed. The Tryon
county militia became a separate bri-
gade in September, 1776, with Col.
Herkimer as its acting general, and
he was, as stated elsewhere, later com-
missioned its brigadier general. While
there the brigade was paraded on the
ice in the river, and Robert Crouse
was designated to bear the flag in sa-
luting the generals. He waved it so
easily and gracefully with one hand,
when hardly another man present
could have handled it with both hands.

THE STOKY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

that not only the generals, but the
entire assemblage was excited to ad-
miration, and a significant murmur of
applause was echoed from the hills
hemming in the valley. Gen. Schuy-
ler said to the officers near him, 'That
man ought to have a commission,' and
one is said to have been tendered him,
which he declined. This incident
probably accounts for the fact that
Lieut. Sammons placed him among the
officers killed at Oriskany. Henry
Wali-ath, the strongest man by repu-
tation in the Palatine settlements,
came from Stone Arabia in the winter
of 1775 and 1776, bringing a friend
with him, as he told Robert Grouse,
expressly to see which was the
stronger man of the two. Said
Grouse, 'Well, you go home and put 50
skipples of wheat on your sleigh, and
I will put 50 skipples with it, and the
strongest one shall have the 100 skip-
ples'— 75 bushels. The Stone Arabia
bully never put in an appearance,
which left Grouse the acknowledged
champion. Robert Grouse was made
a prisoner at Oriskany, and, as his
friends afterward learned, by fellow
prisoners who knew him, was most
inhumanly murdered. Agreeable to
the affidavit of Dr. Moses Younglove,
who was also a prisoner from that
battlefield, the Indians killed some of
the prisoners at their own pleasure,
and to his knowledge they tortured to
death at least half a dozen. Of this
number was Robert Grouse, who was
the selected victim at one of their hell-
ish orgies, as the late William Grouse,
a nephew, learned subsequently by
other prisoners who knew him. His
remarkable stature possibly gave
them a new idea of derisive torture,
for, with their knives, they began by
amputating his legs at the knee joints,
and when accomplished they held him
up on those bleeding limbs — derisively
told him he was then as tall as those
around him — and bade him walk. As
his life was fast ebbing they sought
other modes of torture. At length dis-
patching him they tore off and se-
cured for market his reeking scalp.
Whether they ate any of his flesh is
unknown, but it is not improbable

they did as numbers of the Indians
engaged in this contest had feasted on
prisoners in earlier wars. Thus ig-
nobly fell, not only the largest but
one of the best men in the Mohawk
valley."

Sam Grouse, a giant Fort Plainer,
who died about 1890, probably inherit-
ed his enormous frame from these
Revolutionary ancestors.

Gaptain Jacob Gardinier: — after
being literally riddled with bullets and
bayonets, crept into a cavity at the
roots of a tree and, by the aid of his
waiter, a German lad, who loaded his
gun for him, his hand having been
lacerated by a bayonet, he continued
the fight shooting from that position
an Indian who was dodging about to
get a shot at an American officer. Of
this brave militia captain, said the
Rev. Johan Daniel Gros of Fort Plain,
in a work published after the war on
"Moral Philosophy:" "Let it stand re-
corded, among other patriotic deeds
of that little army of militia, that a
Jacob Gardinier, with a few of his
men, vanquished a whole platoon, kill-
ing the captain, after he had held him
for a long time by his collar as a
shield against the balls and bayonets
of the whole platoon. This brave mil-
itia captain is still alive and was
cured of thirteen wounds."

George Walter, at Oriskany, was
struck down with a severe bullet
wound. Faint from loss of blood, he
crept to a spring and slaked his thirst
and revived. While watching the
fight, an Indian lurking near discov-
ered him and, running up, gave him a
blow on the head with his tomahawk,
and in another moment had torn off
his reeking scalp. When found by his
friends, some of his wounds were fly-
blown, but he recovered and lived until
1831, dying at a ripe old age. It is
said that Walter, in telling of his ex-
perience, remarked: "Dat Indian tot
I vash det, but I knows petter all de
time; but I tot I would say nodding so
as he would go off."

Gaptain Ghristopher W. Fox: — ^In the
Palatine batallion of militia, there
were three captains by the name of
Fox, viz: Gaptain William Fox jr.,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Capt. Christopher P. Fox and Captain
Christopher W. Fox. Probably they
were all in the Oriskany battle and
the last two named were quite surely
there. Christopher W. was severely
wounded in the right arm, which was
partially dressed on the ground,
where he remained with his men; and,
discovering an Indian crawling from
behind a tree in the direction of the
enemy's encampment, grasping his
sword in his left hand he said to some
of his men: "You keep an eye on me
for safety and I will kill an Indian."
As he approached the savage, a mutual
recognition took place. The Indian
was a half-breed called William John-
son, and was a reputed son of his
namesake, Sir William Johnson. He
was down with a broken leg and
begged for his life because he was
wounded. "Ah," said the dauntless
captain, directing the prostrate war-
rior to his crippled arm, "I am wound-
ed too, and one of us must die." In an
instant, with his left hand, he thrust
the keen-edged sword through the In-
dian's body. This Captain Fox was
wounded in the following fashion: He
and a hostile Indian, under the cover
of trees a few rods distant were, for
some time, watching in a vain en-
deavor to get some advantage of each
other; and, thinking to draw the In-
dian's shot, and win the gaine, Fox
extended his hat upon his hand be-
side a tree to attract the savage's at-
tention. The ruse succeeded and the
Indian supposing the hat contained a
head, fired on the target; but unfor-
tunately Fox had a long arm and had
extended it so far that the ball struck
it and, dropping the hat, the hand fell
limp at his side. The Indian, seeing
the hat fall, no doubt supposed he had
killed his man, but considered the
hazard of securing a scalp too great
to approach his victim. It was com-
mon practise to thrust out a hat on
one's ramrod or a stick to draw an
antagonist's charge, when fighting in
the Indian fashion, but so reckless an
act as that of this captain's seemed to
merit the punishment. Fox became a
major and resided after the war at
Palatine Church. The following has

a direct bearing on the above:

"Reed., Williger, Oct. 16, 1779, of
Christopher Fox, Esq., eight dollars in
full for curing his arm of a wound re-
ceived in the Oriskany fight, £ 3. 4. 0.
"Moses Younglove."
Abram Quackenboss: — The last syl-
lable of this name is written boss, but
pronounced bush. One of the earliest
Low Dutch families to locate in the
present town of Glen was that of
Quackenbush, as the name is now
written. One of Quackenbush's boy-
hood playmates, near the lower Mo-
hawk castle at Fort Hunter, was an
Indian called Bronkahorse, who was
about his own age. Quackenbush was
a lieutenant under the brave Capt.
Gardinier. Among the followers of
the Johnsons to Canada was his In-
dian friend, who also tried to get the
white Whig to go with him, assuring
him that he would have the same office
in the royal army. Their next meet-
ing was in the dodging, tree-to-tree
fight at Oriskany. The lieutenant
heard himself addressed in a familiar
voice, which he recognized as that of
his early Indian friend, now posted be-
hind a tree within gunshot of the one
which covered his own person. "Sur-
render j^ourself my prisoner and you
shall be treated kindly," shouted the
Mohawk brave, "but if you do not you
will never get away from here alive —
we intend to kill all who are not made
prisoners!" The success of the enemy
at the beginning of the contest made
them bold and defiant. "Never will I
become a prisoner," shouted back
Quackenboss. Both were expert rifle-
men and now watched their chance.
Bronkahorse fired first and planted a
bullet in the tree scarcely an inch from
his adversary's head, but he had lost
his best chance, as the lieutenant
sprang to a new position from which
his adversary's tree would not shield
him, and in the next instant the In-
dian dropped with a bullet through
his heart.

The Seebers: — Major William See-
ber, who lived next to Fort Plain and
was then nearly 60 j^ears old, was
mortally wounded in the battle, where
his son Audolph was slain and Capt.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Jacob H. fell with a broken thigh.
Jacob cut staddles and attempted to
withe them about his broken leg to
enable him to escape, but could not
stand upon it, and gave up, expecting
to be slain. Henry Failing, an ac-
quaintance, came to him and offered
to remove him to greater safety, but
Seeber declined, telling his friend to
load his gun, take the remainder of his
cartridges and leave him to his fate.
He was afterward removed and died
at Fort Herkimer. Failing was also
severely wounded, but removed and re-
covered.

Garret Walrath, a soldier in the
Cana.ioharie batallion, was at Oris-
kany and is said to have never feared
flesh or the devil. In one of the ter-
rible encounters in the early part of
the engagement, he was made prisoner
and pinioned and told to keep close
behind an Indian, who claimed all his
attention. He often purposely ran
against his captor, whining and com-
plaining that his arms were so tightly
drawn back. * * * At this period
not only the Indians but the whites,
especially those accustomed to hunt-
ing, carried a sharp, well-pointed
knife in a belt. Walrath * * * *
cautiously grasped the handle of his
knife and, watching his opportunity,
in one of his stumbles over the heels
of his captor, he adroitly plunged his
knife into his body, and in the next
instant he was a disembowled and
dead Indian. The liberated captive,
with his bloody knife in hand, cau-
tiously sought his way back, and in
an hour or two was welcomed by his
surviving companions, who soon saw
him armed again with a gun.

Col. Henry Diefendorf was a brave
militia captain from the present town
of Minden, where his descendants still
reside. In the discharge of his duties,
he was shot through the lungs, during
the latter part of the engagement.
Near him when he fell were William
Cox, Henry Sanders and probably
others of his company. He begged for
water, and Sanders stamped a hole in
the marshy soil and, as the water set-
tled in it, he took off his shoe and in
it gave the dying man a drink. See-

ing by the smoke from whence the
shot came that struck down his cap-
tain, Cox said: "Damn my soul, but
I'll have a life for that one!" He ran
to the tree before the foe could poss-
ibly reload his gun, where he found a
large Indian down with a broken leg.
As Cox leveled his rifle, the warrior
threw up his hand and shouted: "You-
ker! you-ker!" which his adversary
supposed was a cry for quarter. "I'll
give you you-ker" said Cox as he sent
a bullet through the Indian's head. He
rejoined his comrades a few minutes
later with the savage's gun.

Henry Thompson was a helper to
the doughty Capt. Gardinier, who
lived and had a blacksmith shop near
the present village of Fultonville. Into
Oriskany he followed his brave em-
ployer and, after the battle had raged
for hours, he approached Gardinier
and said he was hungry. "Fight
away," shouted the captain. "I can't
without eating," said the soldier.
"Then get you a piece and eat," was
the reply. He did so and sitting upon'
the body of a dead soldier, he ate with
a real zest, while the bullets whistled
about his head. His lunch finished,
he arose and was again seen with re-
newed energy where peril was the
most imminent.

Sir John Johnson married a daugh-
ter of John Watts of New York city
and her brother, Stephen Watts, join-
ed Johnson when he went to Canada.
He was a British captain at Oriskany
and, in making a deperate charge he
was wounded and made a prisoner. As
the Americans could not be encum-
bered with their wounded foes, he was
left to his fate — and not despatched
and scalped as were all wounded Am-
ericans found by the enemy. Being
discovered by Henry N. Failing, a pri-
vate soldier [from the present town of
Minden] in the Canajoharie district
batallion, he kindly carried him to a
little stream of water that hs might
there slake his thirst and die more
easily. To his thanks for the soldier's
kindness he added the gift of his watch.
Two days after, Capt. Watts was di.s-
covered by some straggling Indians
looking for plunder, was taken to the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

enemy's camp, properly cared for and
finally recovered.

Among the tragic incidents of Oris-
kany was one which happened at a
tree afterward called "the bayonet
tree." One of Herkimer's men was
held up, dead or alive, and pinned to
a tree several feet from the ground
with a bayonet driven into the tree
several inches. Here the body re-
mained until it fell to the ground from
decomposition. This bayonei; was ld
have been seen in the tree for more
than a quarter of a century and until
the tree had grown so as to bury most
of the blade.

Henry Thompson was not the only
one of the patriots to satisfy his hun-
ger during the battle. Adam Prank
also opened his knapsack and sat down
and made a hearty but hasty meal,
after which he was heard to exclaim
in German, "Jezt drauf auf die kerls!"
— "Now we'll give it to them!"

Captain Andrew Dillenbeck of Stone
Arabia, was the hero of a fight which
resulted in his death. Tories of John-
son's Greens attempted to take him
prisoner and, on Dillenbeck's saying
he would not be taken alive, siezed his
gun. Captain Dillenbeck wrenched it
away and felled his enemy with the
butt. He shot a second one dead,
thrust a third through the body with
his bayonet and then fell dead from a
Tory shot.

Dr. Younglove, surgeon in the Tryon
county brigade, was taken prisoner at
Oriskany and, after his return to his
Palatine home, made the following af-
fidavit:

"Moses Younglove, surgeon of Gen.
Herkimer's brigade of militia, depos-
eth and saith, that being in the battle
of said militia on the 6th of August
last, toward the close of the battle, he
surrendered himself a prisoner to a
savage, who immediately gave him up
to a sergeant of Sir John Johnson's
regiment; soon after which a lieuten-
ant in the Indian department, came up
in company with several Tories, when
said Mr. Grinnis, by name, drew his
tomahawk at this deponent and with
a deal of persuasion was kindly pre-
vailed on to spare his life. He then

plundered him of his watch, buckles,
spurs, etc., and other Tories, following
his example, stripped him almost
naked, with a great many threats,
while they were stripping and mas-
sacreing prisoners on every side. That
this deponent was brought before Mr.
Butler Sen. (Col. John), who demand-
ed of him what he was fighting for?
to which deponent answered: 'He
fought for the liberty that God and
nature gave him, and to defend him-
self and dearest connexions from the
massacre of the savages.' To which
Butler replied: 'You are a damned
impudent rebel!' and so saying imme-
diately turned to the savages, encour-
aging them to kill him, and if they did
not, the deponent and the other per-
sons should be hanged on the gallows
then preparing. That several prison-
ers were then taken forward to the
enemy's headquarters with frequent
scenes of horror and massacre, in
which Tories were active as well as
savages; and in particular one Davis,
formerly known in Tryon county, on
the Mohawk river. That Lieut. Sin-
gleton of Sir John Johnson's regiment,
being wounded, entreated the savages
to kill the prisoners, which they ac-
cordingly did, as nigh as this deponent
can judge, about six or seven. That
Isaac Paris was also taken the same
road without receiving from them any
remarkable insult, except stripping,
until some Tories came up who kicked
and abused him, after which the sav-
ages, thinking him a notable offender,
murdered him barbarously. That those
of the prisoners, who were delivered
up to the provost guards, were ordered
not to use any violence in protecting
the prisoners from the savages, who
came up every day wnth knives, feeling
the prisoners to know which were fat-
test. That they dragged one of the
prisoners out of the guard with the
most lamentable cries, tortured him
for a long time, and this deponent was
informed, by both Tories and Indians,
that they ate him, as appears they did
another on an island in Lake Ontario
[Buck's Island] by bones found there
nearly picked, just after they had
crossed the lake with the prisoners.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

That the prisoners who were not de-
livered up were murdered, in consid-
erable numbers, from day to day
around the camp, some of them so
nigh that their shrieks were heard.
That Capt. Martin of the bateaux men,
was delivered to the Indians at Os-
wego, on pretence of his having kept
back some useful intelligence. That
this deponent, during his imprison-
ment, and his fellows were kept al-
most starved for provisions, and what
they drew were of the worst kind, such
as spoiled flour, biscuit full of mag-
gots, and mouldy, and no soap allow-
ed or other method of keeping clean,
and were insulted, struck, etc., without
mercy by the guards, without any
provocation given. That this depon-
ent was informed by several sergeants
orderly on St. Leger that twenty dol-
lars were offered in general orders for
every American scalp.

"Moses Younglove."

"John Barclay, Chairman of Albany
Committee."

Lieut. Peter Groat and Andrew Cun-
ningham, a neighbor, were captured at
Oriskany and murdered at Wood
creek, slices of their thighs being
roasted and feasted upon by the sav-
ages with zest and mirth. Peter Ehle,
a fellow prisoner, saw his comrades
killed.

There were a few Oneidas with the
provincials in this battle, among whom
was the Indian interpreter, Spencer,
who was killed. The Indians of the
enemy suffered severely, being put
forward early in the fight. The Sen-
ecas alone lost over 60 in killed and
wounded, while the Mohawks and
other tribes suffered severely. The fire
of the patriots was fully as deadly
against the Tories, their captains, Mc-
Donough, Wilson and Hare, lying dead
on the field, with scores of men in
Tory uniforms scattered around them.
The great loss of the Indians has been
made a pretext by English writers to
justify the cruelties inflicted by them
on their prisoners. Says the "Life of
Mary Jemison" (the white woman),
page 88: "Previous to the battle of
Fort Stanwix, the British sent for the
Indians (Senecas) to come and see

them whip the rebels; and at the same
time stated that they did not wish to
have them fight, but wanted to have
them just sit down, smoke their pipes
and look on. Our Indians went to a
man, but contrary to their expecta-
tions, instead of smoking and looking
on, they were obliged to fight for their
lives and, in the end, were completely
beaten, with a great loss in killed and
wounded. Our Indians alone had 36
killed and a great number wounded.
Our town (Little Beard's Town) ex-
hibited a scene of real sorrow and dis-
tress, when our warriors returned and
recounted their misfortunes, and stat-
ed the real loss they had sustained in
the engagement. The mourning was
excessive, and was expressed by the
most doleful yells, shrieks and bowl-
ings, and by inimitable gesticulations."

Here is an incident of the defense of
Fort Schuyler, of a time i)robably after
the Oriskany battle, from Judge Pom-
eroy Jones's "Annals of Oneida
County": — "A sentinel, posted on the
northwest bastion of the fort, was shot
with a rifle while walking his stated
rounds in the gray of the morning;
the next morning the second met the
same fate, on the same post; the crack
of the rifle was heard but from whence
it came, none could conjecture, and
the alarm being given, no enemy could
be discovered. Of course, on the third
night this station was dreaded as be-
ing certain death and the soldier to
whose lot it fell, quailed and hung
back; but, to the surprise of the whole
guard, a comrade offered to take his
place and was accepted. Towards
morning, the substitute sentinel drove
a stake into the ground at the spot
where his predecessors had been shot,
on which he placed his hat and watch
coat and with the help of a cord and a
well stuffed knapsack, he soon had a
very good apology for a portly sol-
dier, who stood to the life at 'support
arms,' with his trusty shining musket.
Having thus posted his 'man of straw,'
he quietly sat down behind the para-
pet closely watching through an em-
brassure for coming events. At early
dawn, the well known report of the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

same rifle was heard, and the column
of smoke ascending from the thick
top of a black oak tree some 30 or 40
rods distant, showed the whereabouts
of the marksman. The sergeant of
the guard was soon on the spot and
the commandant notified that the
perch of the sharpshooter had been
discovered. A four pounder was
quickly loaded with canister and
grape, and the sound of this morning
gun boomed over the hill and dale in
the distance, immediately succeeded
by a shout from the garrison, as they
beheld one of Britain's red allies tum-
bling head foremost from the tree top.
On examining the counterfeit senti-
nel, the holes through the various
folds of the knapsack were more than
circumstantial evidence that the aim
was most sure, and that, had the
owner stood in its place, he would have
followed to his account those who had
preceded him there. It Is hardly nec-
essary to add that the sentinels on the
northwest bastion were not afterwards
molested."

It was hoped, by surviving friends in
the valley below, that the troops ad-
vancing under Gen. Arnold to raise
the siege of Fort Schuyler would be
able to perform the melancholy task
of burying the remains of our fallen
soldiery at Oriskany. But, as over
two weeks of excessively warm
weather had transpired — it being then
the 23d or 24th of August — decompo-
sition had so rapidly taken place that
the stench was intolerable, making it
necessary for the health of the troops
to give the field as wide a berth as
possible.. So said James Williamson,
who was a soldier under Arnold and
who was on duty at Fort Stanwix. As
the relieving American army force vm-
der Gen. Arnold approached Oriskany,
evidences of its bloody onslaught
greeted them. Here are some things
which were noticed by Nicholas
Stoner, a young musician in Col. Liv-
ingston's regiment, and copied from
Simms's "Trappers:" Near the mouth
of the Oriskany creek a gun was found
standing against a tree with a pair of
boots hanging on it, while in the creek

near, in a state bordering on putrefac-
tion, lay their supposed owner. In the
grass, a little way from the shore, lay
a well dressed man without hat or
coat, who, it was supposed, had made
his way there to obtain drink. A black
silk handkerchief encircled his head.
John Clark, a sergeant, loosened it but
its hair adhered to it on its removal,
and he left it. He, however, took from
his feet a pair of silver shoe buckles.
His legs were so swollen that a pair
of deerskin breeches were rent from
top to bottom. On their way nine
dead bodies lay across the road, dis-
posed in regular order, as was imag-
ined by the Indians after their death.
The stench was so great that the Am-
ericans could not discharge the last
debt due their heroic countrymen, and
their bones were soon after bleaching
on the ground. A little farther on an
Indian was seen hanging to the limb
of a tree. He was suspended by the
traces of a harness, but by whom was
unknown. Such were some of the
scenes, a mile or two away, but, where
the carnage had been greatest, they
had to make as wide a circuit as pos-
sible. Not an American killed in that
battle was ever buried.

Scalping was done to some extent
by the American troops, but was not
prompted by the hope of reward, as
in the case of the Indians and Tories.
"Scalps for the Canadian market"
proved a source of revenue to the In-
dians, who took them to Montreal and
redeemed them for cash, receiving
payment for those of men, women and
children alike. Lossing gives the fol-
lowing account of this diabolical prac-
tise: "The methods used by the Indians
in scalping is probably not generally
known. I was told by Mr. Dievendorff
[who was scalped as a boy in Dox-
tader's Currytown 1781 raid and sur-
vived to an old age] that the scalping
knife was a weapon, not unlike in ap-
pearance the bowie knife of the pres-
ent day. The victim was usually
stunned or killed by a blow from a
tomahawk. Sometimes only a portion
of the scalp (as was the case with Mr.
Dievendorff) was taken from the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

crown and the back part of the head,
but more frequently the whole scalp
was removed. With the dexterity of
a surgeon, the Indian placed the point
of his knife at the roots of the hair
on the forehead and made a circular
incision around the head. If the hair
was short, he would raise a lappet of
the skin, take hold with his teeth, and
tear it instantly from the skull. If
long, such as the hair of females, he
would twist it around his hand, and,
by a sudden jerk, bare the skull. The
scalps were then tanned with the hair
on, and often marked in such a man-
ner that the owners could tell when
and where they were severally obtain-
ed, and whether they belonged to men
or women. When Major Rogers, in
1759, destroyed the chief village of the
St. Francis Indians, he found there a
vast quantity of scalps, many of them
comically painted with heiroglyphics.
They were all stretched on small
hoops." A remarkable phase of this
unspeakable practise, is that a large
number of the valley people who were
scalped, recovered and lived to an old
age. This was due to the hurried way
in which many of the Indian attacks
were made, so that the victims were
stunned and not killed.

Col. John Butler had charge of the
traffic in scalps with the Indians, dur-
ing the Oriskany campaign, and prob-
ably later. Simms says "the usual
bounty, after a time, was $8 for all,
except those of officers and commit-
teemen, which commanded from $10
to $20." That there was such a traffic
in scalps has been denied by English
writers but the fact seems substanti-
ated by abundant evidence.

Undoubtedly the leading patriot in
the valley at that time was Nicholas
Herkimer, a resident of the Canajo-
harie district and in command of the
Tryon county militia and of the forces
at Oriskany. His father, Johan Jost
Herkimer, had emigrated from the
Palatinate about 1720 and settled on
the Burnetsfield patent. At Fort Her-
kimer he established a trading place
and later built a strong stone house
which was stockaded and became the

fort, bearing his name. Johan Jost
Herkimer, legend says, was a man of
mighty strength among a population
of men of muscle. He knew the En-
glish and Indian languages, as well as
his native German, and acted as inter-
preter between the English and In-
dians. He was concerned in the erec-
tion of Fort Stanwix and became a
man of considerable property and died
in 1775 at Fort Herkimer. His son,
Nicholas, settled east of Fall Hill in
the Canajoharie district and built there
a substantial brick residence, in 1764,
which is now standing. While at Fort
Herkimer, Herkimer commanded that
post during the two attacks of the
French war, he then being a lieuten-
ant of militia. His commission for
this rank is now in the possession of
a collateral descendant in San Fran-
cisco, while his brigadier-general's
commission, from the New York pro-
vincial congress, hangs on the walls of
a Fort Plain house. He was a mem-
ber of the Tryon County Committee
of Safety from Canajoharie district
and colonel of the militia of that dis-
trict, and colonel-in-chief of the coun-
ty. In 1776 he was made a briga-
dier-general. He is described by
one who saw him as a large,
square built Dutchman and, con-
trary to many accounts which rep-
resent him as an old man at the time
of the battle, family figures give his
age at 49, and family tradition has it
that he was then a sturdy, vigorous
man, all of which is borne out by
Oriskany events. Herkimer was a
close friend of Brant and probably of
other Mohawks, and was possibly the
most influential Whig figure of the
time in Tryon county. He served as
chairman pro tem of the committee of
safety and some of its papers and let-
ters extant are signed by him. He
seems to have been a man of sound
sense, wise counsel and quick and ef-
fective action. His prestige was
dimmed by the Tory action of his
brother, Han Yost Herkimer, who was
a militia colonel but ran away to Can-
ada. Of his other brothers, only Capt.
George Herkimer, an ardent Whig and
scout officer, was with him at Oris-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

kany, although other brothers were
patriots with the exception of Han
Yost. Undoubtedly Herkimer's strong
Whig attitude and military ability had
great effect in upholding the cause of
independence in the county, particu-
larly among the "Mohawk Dutch."
His first wife was a sister of Peter S.
Tygert and his second wife a daughter
of the same. He left no children.
Gen. Herkimer left an estate of
1,900 acres of land and willed
his brother, George Herkimer, 500
acres and his homestead, where the
latter was living in 1783, when Gen.
Washington made his tour through
the valley when he stopped here. The
general in his will signed his name
Nicholas "Herckheimer," although he
varied it at other times. Herkimer's
wound was not mortal but unskilful
amputation of his wounded leg caused
his death. It is said that the leg was
sawed off short without tying the blood
vessels up and the sturdy patriot
slowly bled to death. When the leg
was amputated two neighborhood boys
buried it in the garden, and shortly
after the General said to one of
them: "I guess you boys will have to
take that leg up and bury it with me,
for I am going to follow it." The am-
putation was done by a young French
surgeon with Arnold's expedition up
the valley against the advice of the
General's doctor. Dr. Petrie. Col. Wil-
lett called to see Herkimer soon after
the operation and found him sitting
up in bed and smoking his pipe. His
strength failed toward night and, call-
ing his family to his chamber, he read
composedly the 38th psalm, closed the
book, sank back upon his pillow and
expired. The last three stanzas of this
Psalm read as follows:

They also that render evil for good
are mine adversaries; because I fol-
low the thing that good is.

Forsake me not, O Lord; O my God,
be not far from me. •

Make haste to help me, O Lord my
salvation.

Christopher P. Yates, who was a
man of fine intellect and an efficient
patriot, said of Herkimer: "I claim

not for the General that he was versed
in Latin or Greek, or in the philosophy
of the German schools; but I claim for
him, that no German immigrant was
better read in the history of the Pro-
testant reformation, and in the phil-
osophy of the Bible than Gen. Her-
kimer."

Johan Jost Herkimer, the first of
the family in the valley, left thirteen
children — five sons and eight daugh-
ters, which gives an idea of the size of
the valley families of the day. The
marriages of the children of Jo-
han Jost Herkimer gives an idea
of the ratio of the Teutonic ele-
ments in the western Mohawk valley
in the eighteenth century. Of these
known marriages nine are with people
of German ancestry, three with people
of Holland blood and one (that of
Hendrick Frey) with a person of Swiss
descent.

Jurgh, Johan Jost, Madalana and
Catharina Herkimer (or Erghemar)
were patentees named in the Burnets-
field grant of 1725. Johan Jost was
doubtless the progenitor of the family
in America. Just who the others were,
in relationship to him, is not definitely
known. They are supposed to have
come over in the Palatine immigra-
tion of 1722 and in this patent 100
acres was allotted to each of them on
the south side of the river in the
neighborhood that subsequently be-
came known as Fort Herkimer. There
is a tradition that Johan Jost carried
a child and some of his chattels on his
back from Schenectady to German
Flatts. A family legend gives the
story that on the first Herkimer's ar-
rival at his future wilderness home,
he asked permission, of his Indian
neighbors, to build a cabin. They at
first refused him, to Herkimer's great
chagrin. At this time, these savages
were busy trying to carry a dugout
they had recently completed to the
Mohawk. On account of its weight
they were having difficulty in moving
the canoe and asked the pioneer to
help them. Motioning all the Mo-
hawks to get on one end of the heavy
boat, the stalwart German lifted th^

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

other end alone, and in this way the
dugout was carried to the neighboring
river. Astounded at the white man's
great strength, the Indians at once
gave Herliimer permission to build a
cabin and cultivate the land.

Located amid a beautiful landscape,
with the flatlands stretching away to
the river and lofty Fall Hill in the
background, the home of General Her-
kimer, in Danube, is a fine example
of the Colonial Mohawk valley houses.
Built of brick and finely finished, it is
a monument to the solidity of charac-
ter of the valley's early Teutonic set-
tlers. It, in connection with the mon-
ument and the Herkimer family burial
plot, has been, a number of times, the
scene of patriotic gatherings. Here is
located the first of the markers, which
were put in position in the summer of
1912, to show the route of the valley
militia in its march to the field of
Oriskany. Capt. George Herkimer
succeeded to the ownership of the
house and its farm and, on his death,
it passed to his son, Hon. John Herki-
mer, who occupied it until about 1815,
when it passed out of the Herkimer
family. Lossing, in 1848, writing of
this place, says: "After breakfast I
rode down to Danube, to visit the resi-
dence of General Herkimer while liv-
ing and the old Castle church, near
the dwelling place of Brant in the Rev-
olution. It was a pleasant ride along
the tow path between the canal and
river. Herkimer's residence is about
two and a half miles below Little Falls,
near the canal, and in full view of the
traveler upon the railroad, half a mile
distant. It is a substantial brick edi-
fice, was erected in 1764, and was a
splendid mansion for the time and
place. It is now owned by Daniel Con-
ner, a farmer, who is 'modernizing' it,
when I was there, by building a long,
fashionable piazza in front, in place of
the [former] small old porch, or stoop.
He was also 'improving' some of the
rooms within. The one in which Gen-
eral Herkimer died (on the right of the
front entrance), and also the one, on
the opposite side of the passage, are
left precisely as they were when the
general occupied the house; and Mi'.

Conner has the good taste and patriot-
ism to preserve thefn so. These rooms
are handsomely wainscoated with
white pine, wrought into neat mold-
ings and panels, and the casements of
the deep windows are of the same ma-
terial and in the same style. Mr. Con-
ner has carefully preserved the great
lock of the front door of the 'castle' —
for castle it really was in strength and
appointments against Indian assaults.
It is sixteen inches long and ten wide.
Close to the house is a subterranean
room, built of heavy masonry and
arched, which the general used as a
magazine for stores belonging to the
Tryon County militia. It is still used^
as a storeroom but with more pacific
intentions. The family burying ground
is upon a knoll a few rods southeast
of the mansion, and there rest the re-
mains of the gallant soldier, as seclud-
ed and forgotten as if they were of
'common mold.' Seventy years ago the
Continental Congress, grateful for his
services, resolved to erect a monument
to his memory of the value of five
hundred dollars; but the stone that
may yet be reared is still in the
ciuarry, and the patriot inscription to
declare its intent and the soldier's
worth is not yet conceived. Until 1847
no stone identified his grave. Then a
plain marble slab was set up with the
name of the hero upon it; and when I
visited it (1848), it was overgrown
with weeds and brambles. It was
erected by his grandnephew, Warren
Herkimer." In 1895, under the aus-
pices of the Oneida Historical society,
an imposing stone shaft was here
erected to the memory of Herkimer,
bearing the inscription "Vorwaert"
(forward), his command to the militia,
which started the march of the impa-
tient men to the field of Oriskany.

A statue of Gen. Nicholas Herkimer
was erected in the park at Herkimer
in 1907 on the occasion of the cele-
bration of the centennial of that vil-
lage. It is an excellently modeled
figure, cast in brohze, and represents
the Oriskany leader, wounded and
seated upon his saddle, pipe in hand,
while he directs the battle. The ac-
tion of the statue, pointing the way to

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

victory, is vigorous and inspiring. Tlie
sculptor was Burr C. Miller of Paris,
and the work is the gift to Herkimer
of Warner Miller, former United States
Senator from the state of New York,
a resident of that town and father of
the sculptor.

CHAPTER XIV.

1778 — Indian Council at Johnstown,
March 9 — Manheim, Caroga, Spring-
field, Andrustown, German Flats
Raids — Cherry Valley Massacre.

Early in 1778 the alarming news
came to the valley that the western
Indian tribes were to unite with the
MohawJiS, Cayugas, Onondagas and
Senecas in a war upon the frontier,
instigated by the Johnsons, Claus and
Butler. Congress thereupon ordered
a council held with the Six Nations
at Johnstown in February and ap-
pointed Gen. Schuyler and Volkert P.
Douvv to conduct it together with a
commissioner named James Duane,
appointed by Governor Clinton. The
Indians showed little interest in
the conference and delayed coming
until March 9. There were then pres-
ent more than seven hundred of them,
mostly friendly Oneidas and Tuscar-
oras and hostile Onondagas, with a
few Mohawks, three or four Cayugas
and not one of the Senecas, whose
warriors outnumbered those of all the
other Iroquois. Instead of attending
the council the Senecas sent a message
expressing surprise that they were
asked to come while the American
"tomahawks were sticking in their
heads, their wounds bleeding and their
eyes streaming with tears for the loss
of their friends," meaning at the bat-
tle of Oriskany, which shows the ex-
tent of the damage the patriots in-
flicted on that fateful day.

The Oneidas and Tuscaroras ex-
pressed their allegiance to the United
States and predicted the extinction of
the hostile tribes. The rest of the In-
dians had little to say, excepting an
Onondaga chief who hypocritically la-
mented the course of his tribe, laying
it to the young and headstrong war-
riors. Nothing was effected by the

conference, except the satisfactory ex-
pression of allegiance on the part of
the Oneidas and Tuscaroras. The
commissioners closed the council by
warning the hostile Iroquois to look
to their behavior as the American
cause was just or a terrible venge-
ance would overtake them. The Mar-
quis de Lafayette, who was tempor-
arily in command of the northern de-
partment was at the Johnstown coun-
cil and considerably improved the
frontier defences by ordering forts
built at Cherry Valley and in the One-
ida country, the three Schoharie forts
garrisoned and armed and other bor-
der fortifications strengthened. Learn-
ing among other Tory activities. Col.
Guy Carlton, nephew of the governor
of Canada, was on a spying tour in the
neighborhood, efforts were made for
his capture, Lafayette himself offering
a reward of fifty guineas for his ar-
rest.

Irruptions of scalping parties of Ca-
nadian Indians and Tories began in
the Mohawk valley about 1778 and
continued up to 1783, when a peace
treaty was signed. It is impossible to
tell of each of these because they wei'e
so numerous, and records of all have
not been preserved. One of the first,
in the settlement • of Manheim. oc-
curred on April 3, 1778, under com-
mand of Captain Crawford, two weeks
after the sacking of Fairfield, Herki-
mer county. About 50 Indians and
Tories raided the Mohawk valley in
the settlement of Manheim, near Little
Falls. Among the Tories were L.
Casselman, Countryman and Bowers,
who had gone to join the British
forces in Canada from the lower Mo-
hawk. The marauders captured the
miller, John Garter and his boy John
and Joseph Newman and Bartholomew
Pickert, who happened to be at the
mill. At Windecker's place, James
Van Slyck, his son-in-law, was sick in
bed and, for a wonder, was unharmed
by the savages. The prisoners made
here and in the vicinity were John
House, Forbush, John Windecker, a
boy of 13; Ganet Van Slyck, another
boy; John Cypher, Helmer, Jacob

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Uher, George Attle. The two latter
were rangers on a scout from Fort
Snyder. Garter's mill was burned, )3ut
no other dwellings were destroyed and
no one was killed. Four Whigs were
captured in Salisljury, Herkimer coun-
ty. The march to Canada was made
through the snow and great hardships
were suffered. Windecker's Indian
captor proved veiT kind and carried
hiiu across several rapid streams on
his back. Windecker said afterward,
concerning their scarcity of food, that
"An Indian would eat anything except
crow." This raid was one of the ear-
liest of the war and was not marked
by the bloody ferocity which charac-
terized the later ones.

The following, concerning the inva-
sion of Ephratah in the Palatine dis-
trict, in April, 1778, is abridged from
Simms's "Frontiersmen of New York,"
Vol. II., pp. 146-151:

In 1773, 20 or more German families
settled along Garoga creek in the pres-
ent town of Ephratah and some at the
present site of Kringsbush. These
Germans were part of a shipload of
immigrants, mostly from the district
of Nassau near Frankfort-on-the-
Main, which landed at Baltimore in
1773. Many of them settled in the
Mohawk valley. The immigration
from Germany, and even from Hol-
land, into New York state was prac-
tically cbntinuous from the time of
first settlement up to the Revolution.
On this voyage very rough weather
was encountered on the Atlantic, the
masts went by the board and the ship
nearly foundered.

The settlement of Ephratah was so
called after a place of that name in
Germany. Prominent among these set-
tlers was Nicholas Rechtor, whose
father, Johannes Rechtor, came from
Hesse in Germany and settled at Nis-
kautau, six miles below Albany. These
early Ephratah families all built log
houses, except Rechtor, who put up a
frame house and barn. Simms says
this house was still standing (in
1882), "just back of a public house
in Caroga, so called after the
creek passing through it — the orig-

inal name still attaching to the
settlement." Rechtor was located
al5out three miles west of the stone
grist mill Sir William Johnson had
built for the use of that region which
was then known as Tilleborough.
Within a radius of five or six miles
from Nicholas Rechtor's house the fol-
lowing were located: Jacob Appley,
Jacob Frey, John Hurtz, Conrad Hart,
John Smith, Henry Smith, John Cool,
Jacob Deusler, Leonard Kretzer, Henry
Hynce, Flander, Phye, John Spank-
able (now Sponable), John Winkle.

Among the settlers in the Krings-
bush section were Matthias Smith,
Leonard Helmer, Joseph Davis and his
brother-in-law, John Kring, after
whom the settlement was named.

In 1775, a small company of militia
was organized among these settlers
along the Caroga. The oflicers were
Nicholas Rechtor. Captain; John Wil-
liams, George Smith, lieutenants; John
Sholl, ensign. This company was in
the Oriskany battle where Capt. Rech-
tor was thrown from and stepped on
by his horse, disabling him.

About four in the afternoon of April
30, 1778, about 20 Indians and Tories
invaded the Ephratah settlement.
Most of the farmers were making
maple sugar. Rechtor was drilling 20
meh of his militia company about a
mile from his home. Six of the enemy
made their first appearance at the
Harts' home and killed Conrad Hart,
the father, and took captive his son
Wilhelmus, a youth of 16. They plun-
dered and burned Hart's building and
from thence went to Jacob Appley's,
where they destroyed all property. A
daughter of Hart had, in the mean-
time escaped, at the time of the first
attack, and ran to where the militia
company was drilling. Instead of
Rechtor and his men attacking the
enemy in force they split up and ran
singly or in small companies of three
or four toward their homes. Jacob
Appley, Daniel Hart and Peter Shyke
went with Capt. Rechtor to his home.

The enemy had already reached
Rechtor's. Here the savages, both
Tory and Indian, found considerable
plunder as the captain was well pro-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

vided with the worldly goods for that
time and locality. They were some
time in packing up and Mrs. Rechtor,
objecting to the wholesale looting of
her household, was struggling with a
big Indian over a long-handled frying
pan. The Americans came up on the
run and fired at the Indian. The shot
struck the pan handle, glanced down
and wounded the woman in the ankle.
A general melee took place. Appley
shot an Indian and was himself shot
down. Shyke was severely wounded
and Captain Rechtor was hit in the
right arm. Helmus Hart came up with
his hands bound, he having been tied
to a tree when J;he Hart house was at-
tacked. The Americans released his
hands and he joined in the fight, which
soon ended in the enemy running
away.

At this time few of the settlers had
been killed as they were in the sugar
bush distant from their dwellings.
Rechtor gathered all of his family (of
seven children) that he could find and
set out for Fort Paris, which he reach-
ed at midnight. The two youngest
girls and the youngest l)oy could not
be found in the bush, as they evi-
dently feared Indians and would not
venture forth even in replj^ to the calls
of their parents. Appley was so se-
verely wounded that he had to be left
and, at his request, was propped up
against the oven with a gun in his
hand. Rechtor's little four-year-old
boy Henry now came home and got
himself some bread and milk and be-
gan eating it. Just then the savages
came back. Appley shot and killed
one and was himself killed and scalp-
ed and left with a bayonet sticking
through his heart. The little boy
Henry was killed and scalped and
thrown into the creek. Here the dead
little body was found next day, one
hand still clutching the spoon with
which he had been eating. The en-
emy's stay was short as they were
gone when, shortly after, the two
youngest Rechtor girls came out of
the bush. Seeing Appley's dead body
they ran in fright to their neighbor
Hart's house. This they found burned
and Hart dead and mangled and, so in

great fright, they ran back into the
bush where they stayed all night. In
the morning they found neighbors and
were taken to Fort Paris, where they
rejoined their family.

After leaving Rechtor's the enemy
captured Peter Loucks, whom they
took to Canada. A company of Am-
erican soldiers, from Fort Paris, start-
ed in pursuit the next morning. May
1, 1778. They had Henry Flathead, a
"friendly" Indian, for a guide. Coming
upon the enemy's campflre this Indian
gave a yell, probably to warn his red
brethren. When the company came
up meat was still cooking in the fire,
but the enemy had vanished and could
not be found.

At the time of the Ephratah inva-
sion, two Indians of the raiding party
shot and killed a girl named Rickard,
as she was driving home cows near
Fort Klock in the east end of the pres-
ent town of St. Johnsville. Hearing
the shot, George Klock came running
out with his gun and as the Indians
made for the girl's body to scalp it,
he fired and they made for the woods
and disappeared. Going north this
pair of savages made John Smith a
prisoner at Kringsbush and took him
to Canada. He was a son of Matthias
Smith, a veteran of Oriskany.

After the Ephratah raid most of the
Whig families abandoned their homes,
which were left standing by the Tories
to afford themselves shelter on subse-
quent raids. Rechtor removed to his
old home below Albany until after
the war, when most of the surviving
Ephratah settlers came back to their
lands there. The raid along the Car-
oga was one of the first in the Mohawk
valley attended with bloodshed.

On the day of the Ephratah raid a
party of Senecas ravaged a portion of
the Schoharie valley.

Joseph Brant and his warriors gath-
ered at Oghkwaga early in 1778. This-
place is now Windsor, in Broome
county.

Brant appeared at Unadilla in the
spring of 1778 and Capt. McKean was
sent by the people of Cherry Valley
with a small force to reconnoitre the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Indian position. McKean injudiciously
wrote Brant a letter violently de-
nouncing him and asking him to come
to Cherry Valley, with the taunting
remark that there he would be chang-
ed from a "brant" to a "goose." Brant
was enraged by this letter and answer-
ed it later with the Cherry Valley
massacre.

Brant's first hostile movement of
consequence, after his return to Oghk-
waga in the spring of 1778, was to fall
upon the little settlement at Spring-
field, at the head of Otsego lake. This
was in the month of May and every
house was burned but one, into which
the women and children were collect-
ed and kept unharmed. Several men
were captured and much plunder was
taken but no one was murdered, prob-
ably because of no Tories being pres-
ent.

At this same time, in May, 1778,
Brant started out to destroy the
Cherry Valley settlement. While
reconnoitering the village from a
distant hill he saw a company of
boys drilling on the open space in front
of the fort. He mistook these young
patriots for soldiers and, thinking
this post was strongly garrisoned, he
deferred his attack until a later
time. Drawing off his warriors he re-
paired to the deep glen northwest of
the village to see if he could inter-
cept any travellers along the road to
the Mohawk and so pick up any in-
formation. Lieut. Matthew Wormuth,
with a companion, started from Cher-
ry Valley that evening to Fort Plain.
The same day he had left Fort Plain
to tell the Cherry Valley people that
the militia would come up the next
day, as Brant was known to be in the
neighborhood. While Wormuth and Sitz,
his companion, were riding along the
edge of this glen, on their return to
Fort Plain, Brant's warriors fired upon
them, mortally wounding Wormuth
and capturing Sitz. Lieutenant Wor-
muth was of Col. Klock's Palatine
battalion, and that officer came up the
next day with the valley militia, but
Brant had fled and all that could be
done was to take back Wormuth's
body to Fort Plain, and thence to his

father's home across the river in Pala-
tine. Wormuth had been a personal
friend of Brant, who expressed regret
at the young officer's death.

In July Brant destroyed the little
settlement of Andrustown, six miles
southeast of German Flats, killing its
inhabitants and driving away its live
stock.

In the summer of 1778, Brant's long
stay at Unadilla, without striking a
blow on some of the exposed points of
the frontier, excited suspicion among
the inhabitants of the valley that he
might be planning an attack on them,
and a scouting party of four men was
accordingly sent out to watch his
movements. These rangers fell in
with the enemy and three were killed.
The fourth, John Adam Helmer, the
famous scout, escaped and returned to
German Flatts at sundown and gave
the alarm that Brant and a large force
would be upon the settlements in a
short time. At nightfall the enemy,
numbering about 300 Tories and 150
Indians, came to the outskirts of the
settlements and stopped near the
house of Brant's Tory friend, Shoe-
maker. Here the force remained until
early morning. The settlers fled to
Forts Dayton and Herkimer, taking
with them their most precious belong-
ings. Brant and his red and white
warriors devastated the country in the
vicinity of these forts, early the next
day, and the whole valley thereabouts
was illuminated with the light of burn-
ing houses, barns and crops. Only
two or three persons were killed in
this foray, but 63 dwellings, 57 barns,
three grist-mills and two saw-mills
were burned, and 235 horses, 269
sheep, 229 cattle and 93 oxen were
taken and driven off by Brant and his
raiders. This happened about Sept. 1,
1778. No scalps or prisoners were
taken and the enemy ventured no at-
tack on the forts.

In September, Col. Klock wrote to
Gov. Clinton that 150 families were
left destitute and homeless in the val-
ley by the many Indian raids of 1778
up to that month.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Walter Butler had obtained a trans-
fer from the Albany jail to a friendly
Tory's house by feigning sickness.
He intoxicated his guard and escaped.
In November, 1778, he, together with
Brant, fell upon the Cherry Valley
settlement with a force of seven hun-
dred Tories and Indians and killed 32
people and 16 soldiers of the garrison,
looted the place, burned all the build-
nigs and took captive most of the sur-
vivors. The women and children were
allowed to return, with the exception
of three women and their children,
one of the women being murdered a
day or two after the massacre.

At the time of the Cherry Valley
massacre Lieut. Col. James Gordon of
the Saratoga militia, is supposed to
have been in command at Fort Plain
and ordered Col. Klock's regiment and
the company under Capt. Van Den-
bergh at Fort Plank to march to re-
lief of Cherry Valley, where they ar-
rived two hours after the enemy had
gone. Some survivors from the af-
flicted district fled to Fort Plain for
safety and many of them remained in
its vicinity for the balance of the war.

Lossing gives an account of the
Cherry Valley massacre, which we
here abridge:

Colonel Ichabod Alden of Massa-
chusetts, was in command of the fort
and 250 men. On the 8th of Novem-
ber, he had received a dispatch from
Fort Schuyler saying his fort was
about to be attacked, but treated it
with unconcern and refused to allow
the alarmed inhabitants to move into
the fort or even leave their property
there. However, Col. Alden sent out
scouting parties. One of these, which
went toward the Susquehanna, built a
flre, went to sleep, and awoke prison-
ers of Brant and Butler. From them
all necessary information was extort-
ed. The next day the raiders camped
on a lofty hill covered with ever-
greens, about a mile southwest of the
village and overlooking the whole set-
tlement. From that observatory they
could see almost every house in the
village. From the prisoners they
learned that the officers were quarter-
ed out of the fort and that Col. Alden

and Lieut. Col. Stacia were at the
house of Robert Wells, recently a judge
of the county and formerly an inti-
mate friend of Sir William Johnson
and Col. John Butler. Early in the
morning of Nov. 10, 1778, the enemy
marched slowly toward the village.
Snow had fallen during the night and
the morning was dark and misty. A
halt was made to examine the mus-
kets, although the Indians, crazy for
blood, could hardly be restrained. A
settler on horseback, going toward the
village, was shot, but, being only
slightly woundedj galloped on and gave
the alarm. The savages rushed in on
the settlement. Wells's house was at-
tacked and the whole family murdered
together with Col. Alden, who escaped
from a window but was struck down
and scalped. The families of Mr. Dun-
lap, the venerable minister, and that
of Mr. Mitchell were next almost
wiped out, Little Aaron, a Mohawk
chief, saving Mr. Dunlap and his
daughter; 32 people, mostly women
and children, and 16 soldiers were
killed. The whole settlement was
plundered and burned. The prisoners
numbered nearly 40, and included the
wife and children of Col. Campbell,
who was then absent. They were
marched down the valley that night,
in a storm of sleet, and were huddled
together promiscuously, some of them
half naked and without shelter. The
enemy, finding the women and chil-
dren cumbersome, sent them all back
the next day, except Mrs. Campbell
and her children and her aged mother
and a Mrs. Moore, who were kept as
hostages for the kind treatment and
ultimate exchange for the Tory family
of Col. John Butler. Young Butler was
the head and front of all the cruelty
at Cherry Valley that day. He com-
manded the expedition and saw un-
moved the murder of Mr. Wells, his
father's friend, whom Brant hastened
to save but arrived too late. Butler
would not allow his rangers to even
warn their friends in the settlement of
approaching danger.

While Brant was collecting his
troops at Oghkwaga the previous
year, 1777, the strong stone mansion of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Samuel Campbell (colonel of the Can-
ajoharie militia battalion) was forti-
fied to be used as a place of retreat
for the women and children in the
event of attack. An embankment of
earth and logs was thrown up around
it, and included two barns. Small
block-houses were erected within the
enclosure. This was the only fort in
Cherry Valley at this time. Mrs. Can-
non, the mother of Mrs. Campbell, who
was captured, was very old. On the
retreat of the marauders, she was an
encumbrance and a savage slew her
with a tomahawk by the side of her
daughter. Mrs. Campbell carried an
eighteen-months old baby and was
driven with inhuman haste before her
captors, while they menaced her life
with uplifted hatchets. Arriving

among the Senecas, she was kindly
treated and installed a member of one
of the families. They allowed her to
do as she pleased and her deportment
was such that she seemed to engage
the real affections of the people. Per-
ceiving she wore caps, one was pre-
sented to her, considerably spotted
with blood, which she recognized as
belonging to her friend, Jane Wells.
She and her children, from whom she
was separated in the Indian country,
were afterward exchanged for the wife
and family of Colonel John Butler,
then in the custody of the Committee
of Safety at Albany. There are many
well-authenticated instances on rec-
ord of the humanity of Brant, exer-
cised particularly toward women and
children. He was a magnanimous
victor and never took the life of a for-
mer friend or acquaintance. He loVed
a hero because of his heroism, al-
though he might be his enemy, and
was never known to take advantage
of a conquered soldier. The challenge
of Capt. McKean to Brant has been
mentioned. After the Cherry Valley
massacre, he inquired of one of the
prisoners for Capt. McKean, who with
his family, had left the settlement.
Said Brant: "He sent me a chal-
lenge. I came to accept it. He is a
fine soldier thus to retreat." The cap-
tured man replied: "Captain McKean
would not turn his back upon an en-

emy when there was any probability
of success." Brant said: "I know it.
He is a brave man and I would have
given more to take him than any other
man in Cherry Valley; but I would not
have hurt a hair of his head." Walter
Butler ordered a woman and child to
be slain in bed at Cherry Valley, when
Brant interposed saying, "What, kill
a woman and child! That child it not
an enemy to the King nor a friend to
congress. Long before he will be big
enough to do any mischief, the dispute
will be settled." When in 1780, Sir
John Johnson and Brant led their
raiding army through the Schoharie
and Mohawk valleys, Brant's human-
ity was again' displayed. On their
way to Port Hunter an infant was car-
ried off. The frantic mother followed
them as far as the fort but could get
no tidings of her child. On the morn-
ing after the departure of the invad-
ers, and while Gen. Van Rensselaer's
officers were at breakfast, a young In-
dian came bounding into the room,
bearing the infant in his arms and a
letter from Captain Brant, addressed
to "the commander of the rebel army."
The letter was as follows: "Sir — I
send you by one of my runners, the
child which he will deliver, that you
may know that, whatever others may
do, I do not make war upon women and
children. I am sorry to say that I
have those engaged with me who are
more savage than the savages them-
selves." He named the Butlers and
others of the Tory leaders. Brant
hated the cowardly white Tory fiend,
Butler, and objected strongly to serv-
ing under him in the Cherry Valley
expedition. The Wells family were
close friends of Col. John Butler,
father of Walter Butler, and the mur-
der of this family by Butler's raiders
was particularly brutal. Mr. Wells
was tomahawked by a Tory while
kneeling in prayer. Jane Wells, his
sister, who was a beautiful and ac-
complished woman, attempted to hide
in a woodpile. An Indian caught her.
He wiped his bloody scalping knife
and sheathed it deliberately in view of
the terrified woman. Then he leis-
urely took his tomahawk from his gir-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

die and at this moment, a Tory, who
had been a servant in the family,
sprang forward and attempted to in-
terfere but the savage thrust him
aside and burled his hatchet in his
victim's head. It is said that Colonel
Butler, professedly grieved at the
beastly murderous conduct of his son
at Cherry Valley, remarked concerning
the Wells family: "I would have gone
miles on my knees to save that family,
and why my son did not do it, God
only knows."

Late in the fall of 1778, at the re-
quest of Sir John Johnson, the Ca-
nadian Governor-General Haldimand,
sent fifty men to recover his and his
father's papers which had been buried
in an iron chest on the premises at
Johnson Hall. They recovered the
papers which were found to be prac-
tically worthless from dampness. A
Tory, named Helmer, was captured.

The Saratoga and Oriskany cam-
paigns have been summarized in the
Oriskany chapter. The national events
from the fall of 1777 through 1778 are
summarized as follows: 1777, Oct. 4,
American defeat at Germantown;
winter 1777-8, American army in win-
ter quarters at Valley Forge, Pa.;
1778, February, French recognize Am-
erican independence and become allies
of the colonies; 1778, June, British
evacuate Philadelphia and indecisive
battle of Monmouth follows; 1778,
July, Wyoming, Pa., massacre of set-
tlers by British and Indians under Col.
Butler; 1778, Dec, Savannah, Ga., cap-
tured by British.

CHAPTER XV.

1779 — Gen. Clinton at Canajoharie —

Road Built to Otsego Lake — Guard

on Otsquago Creek — Sullivan and

Clinton Defeat Johnson and Brant.

To chastise the hostile Iroquois, Col.
Van Schaick was sent from Fort
Schuyler to make a descent on the
Onondagas on April 18, 1779. The In-
dians fled and their three villages were
burned. The Onondagas retaliated by
a descent into the Schoharie valley
where ten militiamen were killed.

In the spring of 1779 it was resolved
to send a large American expedition
into the Indian country to severely
chastise the savages so as to discour-
age them from renewing their rav-
ages. Gen. Sullivan was placed in
chief command of the expedition, the
plan of which was a combined move-
ment in two divisions; one, from
Pennsylvania under Sullivan, to ascend
the Susquehanna, and the other from
the north through the Mohawk valley
to Otsego lake and the headwaters of
the Susquehanna, under Gen. James
Clinton. The campaign had been
carefully worked out by Washington
and experienced men called in coun-
cil. Gen. Clinton's forces assembled
at Schenectady and his supplies and
military stores were sent up the Mo-
hawk on batteaux to Canajoharie.
These same boats were later trans-
ported to Otsego lake and used on his
trip down the Susquehanna.

Clinton had a force of 1600 men and
made his Mohawk rendezvous in the
present village of Canajoharie, which
must then have been a scene of great
activity as well as the river upon
which ordnance and supplies were
brought in bateaux. In Canajoharie
Clinton boarded with Johannes Roof,
a pioneer settler of land at Fort Stan-
wix, which he abandoned on the ap-
proach of St. Leger and came to Cana-
joharie, there opening a tavern.

While Clinton was preparing for his
overland journey at Canajoharie, the
Otsquago road to Otsego lake from
Fort Plain was guarded by two com-
panies of infantry and one of artillery,
with Fort Plain as their base.

John Fea, in his article on the "In-
dian Trails of the Mohawk Valley,"
says: "Upon the return of the Onon-
daga expedition, Clinton deployed two
companies of infantry and one of ar-
tillery on the Otsquago road, west of
Fort Plain. One of the companies was
stationed at Camp Creek, near the
present village of Starkville, at the
confluence of the creek and the Ots-
quago. From this place the Indian
trail from the Mohawk to Wa-ont-ha
went southwestward. Lieutenant Van
Home, of Colonel Fisher's regiment,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

was in charge of the work of defense
at this point, as it was expected that
Brant would make a sortie from the
west by the way of this trail, to harass
the movement of Clinton's wagon
train. During the stay at Camp Creek
a corduroy road was made along the
Otsquago creek on ground where the
present village of Van Hornesville is
located. The old roadway to Spring-
field at that time, went over the steep
incline east of Van Hornesville.
Clinton's troops made a new road over
the 'pumpkin hook' district of about
two miles in length to accommodate
the carriage of his artillery. At the
same time he was hewing a roadway
through an unbroken forest from See-
ber's Lane, southwest of Canajoharie
creek, to the head of Otsego lake, a
distance of about twenty miles. Over
this road they transported 220 heavy
batteaux and provisions for three
months. June 17, 1779, he commenced
the arduous task. He reached Spring-
field with all his luggage, June 30. At
this place Clinton was joined by the
troops that had been deployed at Ots-
quago." Eight horse wagons and ox-
carts are said to have been used on
this hard overland carry.

Clinton's united force soon reached
the head of Otsego lake where they
launched their bateaux and floated
nine miles down its placid waters
to its outlet at Cooperstown. Tt
is said that there was not then a
single house standing at that site.
The passage down the lake was made
on a lovely summer's day, and every-
thing connected with it was so novel
and picturesque that the scene was
truly enchanting. On arriving at the
foot of the lake, the troops landed and
remained several weeks, until it was
sufficiently raised by a dam construct-
ed at the outlet, to float the fleet of
208 boats. When a sufficient head of
water was thus obtained the boats
were properly arranged along the out-
let and filled with troops, stores and
cannon. Then the dam was torn
away and the flotilla passed down into
the Susquehanna (a word signifying
in Indian "crooked river"). It is said
that, preparatory to opening the out-

let of the lake, a dam made by beav-
ers, on one of the large inlets, was or-
dered destroyed. This was done but
it was repaired by the little animals
the next night. It had to be more
thoroughly destroyed and a guard
placed there all night to prevent its
being rebuilt. While the army was
quartered there two deserters were
tried and one shot. The younger, a
boy, was pardoned but the other, who
had previously deserted from the Brit-
ish to the Americans and then desert-
ed them, was shot. Said Clinton: "He
is neither good for king or country —
let him be shot." The flood from the
opening of Clinton's dam destroyed the
Indian's cornfields along the river
banks, who, being ignorant of the
cause of their loss, were astonished
and alarmed.

Gen. Clinton's force formed a junc-
ture with Sullivan's at Tioga on Aug.
22, and the united force moved up the
Tioga and Chemung, destroying the
Indians' growing crops. The force of
4600 Americans met the Tories and
Indians under Johnson and Brant near
the present city of Elmira on Aug. 29.
A fierce battle ensued and was for
long doubtful. The patriots' artillery
under Proctor finally routed the
enemy. The invaders rested that night
and next day made a vigorous pursuit.
The entire Indian country was rav-
aged and destroyed in a most thor-
ough fashion. In revenge the savages
retaliated upon the frontier settle-
ments whenever opportunity offered.

While Clinton was waiting at Cana-
joharie for his troops and supplies to
assemble, and also for the construc-
tion and delivery of bateaux, two
Tories were there hung and a deserter
shot. The Tory spies were Lieut,
Henry Hare and Sergt. Newbery, both
of Col. Butler's regiment. They were
tried by a general court martial as
spies and sentenced to be hanged,
■'which was done accordingly at Cana-
joharie, to the great satisfaction of all
the inhabitants of that place who were
friends of their country, as they were
known to be very active in almost all
the murders that were committed on

THE STOEY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the frontiers. They were inhabitants
of Tryon county, had each a wife and
several children, who came to see them
and beg their lives." The foregoing
quoted words are those of Gen. Clin-
ton himself in a letter to his wife. At
the time of the execution, Gen. Clinton
rode up to Fort Plain and spent an
hour or two with Dominie Gros, to
avoid the importunity of the spies'
friends who begged for their lives, and
especially was this the case with Mrs.
Hare. Hare and Newbury had left the
Seneca country with 63 Indians and 2
white men, who divided them into
three parties. One was to attack
Schoharie, another party was to de-
scend on Cherry Valley and the Mo-
hawk river and the third party was to
skulk about Fort Schuyler and the
upper part of the Mohawk to take pris-
oners or scalps. Both had lived in the
town of Glen and were captured there.
A fifteen-year-old boy, named Francis
Putman, captured Hare, who was de-
layed in his return to Canada by a
sprained ankle. A party of Whigs
under Lieut. Newkirk arrested New-
bury that night. It is said "they were
enabled to find his house in the woods
by following a tame deer which fled to
it." The executions in Canajoharie
took place on Academy hill. While
Hare was in custody, at the request of
Gen. Clinton, Johannes Roof asked the
Tory if he did not kill Caty Steers at
Fort Stanwix in 1777. "For you were
seen with your hands in her hair," said
Roof. Hare confessed that he had
killed and scalped her.

Gen. James Clinton was born in Ul-
ster county, New York, August 9, 1736.
At the age of 20 (1756), he was a cap-
tain under Bradstreet in the attack
on Fort Frontenac. In 1763 he com-
manded four companies in Ulster and
Orange as protection against Indians.
He, with his brother, George Clinton
(governor of New York during the
Revolution), early espoused the pa-
triot cause. He was a colonel in 1775
and went with Montgomery to Can-
ada. In 1776 he was a brigadier gen-
eral and was in command, under Gov.
Clinton, at Forts Montgomery and

Clinton when they fell into the hands
of the enemy in 1777. He escaped and
conjointly with Sullivan led the ex-
pedition against the Indians in 1779.
During the remainder of the war he
was connected with the Northern De-
partment of the Army, having head-
quarters at Albany. He retired to his
estate at Newburgh, after peace was
declared, and died there in 1*812, aged
75. He was the father of Dewitt
Clinton, the eminent governor of New
York and "father of the Canal system."

The state legislature on Oct. 23,
1779, levied a tax of $2,500,000, of
which Tryon county's quota was $81,-
766. The quota of the Canajoharie
district was $16,728. April 6, 1780, an-
other state tax of $5,000,000 was au-
thorized of which $120,000 was as-
signed to Tryon. The quota of the
Canajoharie district was $28,000. Pay-
ment of these two taxes, levied inside
of six months, must have been a con-
siderable hardship to the valley set-
tlers at this time.

Colonel Visscher was in command at
Fort Paris in Stone Arabia in Novem-
ber, 1779, having command of this sec-
tion. "While Visscher was on a visit to
Fort Plank, a detachment of soldiers,
from Col. Stephen. J. Schuyler's regi-
ment, located at Fort Paris, mutinied,
knocked down the guards and started
to desert. One of them was shot down
and presumably the rest escaped.
Capt. Jelles Fonda, in temporary com-
mand there, was courtmartialed and
honorably acquitted. In December, at
a conference. Colonels Visscher and
Klock and Lieut. Col. Wagner dis-
persed a number of three months mi-
litia men, on account of the lateness of
the season and the improbability of
immediate invasions. This was done
with the sanction of Gen. Ten Broeck
and some of the garrisons were broken
up for a time.

July 9, 1779, three Vols (now Folts)
brothers and the wives of two of them,
and a Mrs. Catherine Dorenberger,
who had been a Hilts, went berry-
picking up the West Canada creek,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

near Fort Dayton. A party of a dozen
Indians and Tories discovered them.
Two of the brothers and their wives
escaped to the fort, although one of
the women was wounded. Mrs. Dor-
enberg-er was overtaken and stabbed
to death with a spear by her own
brother, named Hilts, who was one of
the guerilla party. He also tore off
the scalp from her dead body. Joseph
Vols was separated from the rest, but
leveled his gun and fired at a party of
nine who were pursuing him in a nar-
row path. He was so close that three
Indians fell, two killed instantly and
one mortally wounded. His gun was
loaded with 21 buckshot. This is said
to have been the best shot fired in
Tryon county during the war. One
Indian, in the race which followed, got
up and wounded Vols with his toma-
hawk, but the Whig knocked his as-
sailant down, stunned him with a blow
of his gun and escaped, although
wounded by several shots. Troops,
hearing the firing, came up and the
white and red savages fled. Conrad
Vols, one of the brothers, was wound-
ed at Oriskany two years before.

The national events of 1779 are here-
with summarized: 1778-9, Col. Clarke
conquers middle west from English by
victories at Kaskaskia and Vincennes;
1779, July 15, Americans under Gen.
"Mad Anthony" Wayne capture Stony
Point on the Hudson; 1779, Aug. 29,
Sullivan's and Clinton's patriot army
defeat Indian and British force in bat-
tle of Chemung (at Elmira), Indian
country subsequently devastated; 1779,
September, Paul Jones, on American
ship, Bon Homme Richard, defeats two
British men-of-war; 1779, October,
French and American attack on Sa-
vannah repulsed.

The lot of the soldier was not all one
of warfare. In the midst of ever-pres-
ent dangers, he took his holiday and
his natural and robust pleasures with
a carefree heart. An instance from
Simms details a merrymaking of Rev-
olutionary times: "In the fall of 1779,

there was a corn-husking at the resi-
dence of John Eikler in Philadelphia
Bush. His house was some six miles
east of Johnstown, and where John
Frank formerly kept a tavern. Capt.
John Littel permitted ten or a dozen
young men of his company to go from
the Johnstown fort to the husking, of
which number was my [Simms's] in-
formant, Jacob Shew. They went on
foot from the fort to Eikler's. A lot
of buxom maidens, corresponding in
number, were already assembled from
the scattered settlement on their ar-
rival. As the night was a rainy one
the corn was taken into the house to
husk.

"In the protracted struggle for po-
litical freedom, many a lovely girl had
to toil in the field to raise sustenance
for herself and feebler friends, when
the strong arms, on which they had
before leaned, were wielding the sword
or musket far away. As the husking
progressed not a few red ears were
found, imposing a penalty on the
finder, and lucky indeed was the Son
of Mars who canceled such forfeit, as
he was brought in contact with the
cherry lips of a blushing lass, who, al-
though she may have said aloud the
young rebel ought to be ashamed, se-
cretly blessed the inventor of husk-
ings. A part of the corn was risked
and hung up under the roof on a lin-
tel, which, to add variety to the enter-
tainment, broke down under its ac-
cumulated weight, and came near en-
trapping one of the guests. After the
corn was all husked and the eatables
and drinkables — pumpkin pies and
cider — were disposed of, the party had
glorious times. But why specify at
this late day the details of ancient
sayings and doings? Suffice it to add,
the rain came down in torrents, so as
to prevent the guests from returning
home; and after the midnight hilarity
had stolen out through the crannies of
the log dwelling, the guests — but how
dispose of so many without beds? The
husks were leveled down, and each
took a soldier's lodge upon them; for
the girls — heaven bless their memory
— were the artless and true maidens
of the times."

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

CHAPTER XVI.

1780 — May 21, Johnson's Johnstown
Raid — August 2, Brant's Minden
Raid.

After Sullivan's campaign the val-
ley had comparative repose for a time.
So far the lower Mohawk section
had suffered little. Its men had gone
forth to fight for the common defense
and their numbers had been reduced
by death and capture. They had re-
ceived an influx of population from
the defenseless people driven in from
above, which, however, was no added
protection.

May 21, 1780, Sir John Johnson en-
tered Johnstown near midnight at the
head of 500 Indians, Tories and Brit-
ish. He had crossed the country from
Crown Point to the Sacandaga, a point
from which an invasion was least ex-
pected, and stolen upon the settlement
so quietly that the patriots were first
warned of the enemy's presence by the
beginning of the work of murder and
destruction in their midst. The resi-
dent Tories, being in the secret and
assisting the raiders, were exempt
from injury. Johnson separated his
men into two parties, one going
through Johnstown and down the
Cayadutta to the Mohawk, there to
join the other division, which was to
take a more easterly route to Tribes
Hill. They were then to unite and rav-
age up the valley. The whole course of
Sir John's eastern raiders was mur-
derous and disgraceful. They mur-
dered and scalped a Mr. Lodwick Put-
man and son, dragged Putman's son-
in-law, Amasa Stevens, out of his
house and killed him in the most bru-
tal manner and then went on to the
house of Gerret Putman, a stanch
Whig, who had been marked as a vic-
tim but who had removed lately and
rented his house to two Tory English-
men. Ignorant of this the Tories and
Indians broke into the house and mur-
dered and scalped the two inmates be-
fore they had a chance to explain their
situation. Henry Hansen was next
murdered and his sons carried off pris-
oners. They next came to the house
of Col. Visscher, whom Simms says

was a brave man in spite of the un-
fortunate panic retreat of his force at
Oriskany. His two brothers were with
him and they made a brave stand,
fighting valiantly up the stairway and
into their chamber, where they were
stricken down and scalped and the
house set on fire. Visscher was toma-
hawked, scalped and left for dead, but
revived and lived many j^ears. The
western division led by Sir John him-
self, went through Johnstown undis-
covered by the Whig garrison of the
fort which had formerly been the jail.
This force captured Sampson Sam-
mons and his three sons and, uniting
with the eastern force, proceeded up
the valley, burning every building not
belonging to a Tory. The alarm, how-
ever, was getting abroad and the peo-
ple had some chance to escape to the
neighboring forts. Returning after a
few miles foray to Caughnawaga they
burned every building but the church
and parsonage. Here in the morning
an old man named Douw Fonda had
been murdered. He was one of nine
aged men, four over eighty, who were
brutally killed and scalped on this
raid. Sir John returned to Johnstown
and recovered his buried plate and
valuables and about twenty slaves.
The plate and valuables filled two bar-
rels. Toward night the militia began
to gather under Col. John Harper and
Johnson decided to get away, heading
for the Sacandaga. The militia were
in too small numbers to attack him
but followed him several miles. Col.
Van Schaick came up with 800 men
in pursuit but too late to engage the
guerillas.

While halting, on the day after leav-
ing Johnstown, the elder Mr. Sammons
(Sampson Sammons) requested a per-
sonal interview with Sir John John-
son, which was granted. He asked to
be released, but the baronet hestitated.
The old man then recurred to former
times, when he and Sir John were
friends and neighbors. Said he: "See
what you have done, Sir John. You
have taken myself and my sons pris-
oners, burned my dwelling to ashes,
and left my family with no covering
but the heavens above, and no pros-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

pect but desolation around them. Did
we treat you in this manner when you
were in the power of the Tryon Coun-
ty Committee? Do you remember when
we were consulted by General Schuy-
ler, and you agreed to surrender your
arms? Do you then remember that
you then agreed to remain neutral,
and that, upon that condition, General
Schuyler left you at liberty on your
parole? Those conditions you violat-
ed. You went off to Canada, enrolled
yourself in the service of the king,
raised a regiment of the disaffected
who abandoned their country with
you, and you have now returned to
wage a cruel war against us, by burn-
ing our dwellings and robbing us of
our property. I was your friend in
the Committee of Safety, and exerted
myself to save your person from in-
jury. And how am I requited? Your
Indians have murdered and scalped old
Mr. Fonda, at the age of eighty years,
a man who, I have heard your father
say, was like a father to him when he
settled in Johnstown and Kingsbor-
ough. You cannot succeed. Sir John,
in such a warfare, and you will never
enjoy your property more." The baro-
net made no reply but the old gentle-
man was set at liberty.

Soon after this murderous raid of
Sir John Johnson, Gen. Clinton or-
dered Col. Gansevoort to repair with
his regiment to Fort Plain, to take
charge of a large quantity of stores
destined for Fort Schuyler and con-
voy the batteaux containing them to
their destination. This caution was
necessary to save the supplies from
capture by the Indians. Most of the
local militia accompanied Gansevoort's
command.

Brant was again on the warpath,
watching for a favorable moment to
spring upon the unprotected inhabi-
tants, and supplied the Tories with in-
formation of movements in the settle-
ments. He was early aware of the de-
parture of troops for Fort Schuyler
and, when they had gathered at Fort
Plain and started on their march of
protection for the supplies going by
river, on August 2, 1780, made a de-

scent on the Canajoharie district with
a force of about 500 Indians and Tories,
chiefly the former. There were sev-
eral stockades in the neighborhoods
desolated by the savages (for the
Tories seem to have equaled the red
men in their barbarity). Chief among
them, however, was the principal for-
tification of Fort Plain. Here the gar-
rison was insufficient, without help
from the militia, to give battle to
Brant's force and, as has been stated,
the local troops were absent with
"Gansevoort's force. Brant evidently
approached the Mohawk from the west
by way of the Otsquago valley and his
raiders in bands thoroughly devasted
the Freysbush and Dutchtown roads.
The approach of the Indians was
announced by a woman firing the sig-
nal shot from a Fort Plain cannon.
The people were then busy with their
harvesting, and all who were fortunate
enough to escape fled to the fort, leav-
ing their property to be destroyed.
The firing of one signal shot indicated
that the people were to flee to the
nearest stockade, while two or three
in quick succession ordered the set-
tlers to seek safety by hiding in the
bush or woods and told that the enemy
was between them and the fort. Fifty-
three dwellings were burned with their
barns and buildings, 16 people were
murdered and 50 or 60 captured. The
Indians, knowing its weakness, rush-
ed up within gunshot of Fort Plain,
after ravaging the Dutchtown and
Freysbush districts. Seeber's, Abeel's
and other houses were burned and
then the savages fired the Reformed
Dutch church. The spire was adorned
with a brass ball and the Indians, be-
lieving it to be gold, watched eagerly
for it to fall. When at last it dropped,
with the burning of the spire, they all
sprang forward to seize the prize.
This red hot ball of brass was respon-
sible for many a blistered red man's
hand. To make a show of force at
Fort Plain, some of the women who
had fled there, put on men's hats and
carried poles, showing themselves just
sufficiently above the stockade to give
the savages the impression of militia-
men. This ruse was evidently success-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ful for, had Brant known how feebly
the fort was defended he would prob-
ably have rushed this stockade, burn-
ed it and massacred its inmates.

The columns of smoke rising from
the burning buildings were seen at
Johnstown and were the first intima-
tion of this latest incursion. The far-
mers left their harvest fields and
joined Col. Wemple, marching up the
river with the Schenectady and Al-
bany militia, but they were not in
time to check the work of destruction
or cut off the retreat of the maraud-
ers. Colonel Wemple, who was
thought to be more prudent than val-
orous on this occasion, only reached
the desolated region in time to see the
smoking ruins and rest securely in
Fort Plain that night. The next morn-
ing some buildings, which had escaped
the torch the day before were discov-
ered to be on fire. Col. Wemple, on
being notified of the fact, said that, if
any volunteers were disposed to look
into the matter, they might do so.
Whereupon Major Bantlin, with some
of the Tryon county militia, set out
for the scene of the fire. It proved to
have been set by a party of Brant's
raiders who, as soon as discovered,
fled to rejoin the main body. In a day
one of the fairest portions of the val-
ley had been desolated. The small
forts which were demolished were not
garrisoned and had been constructed
by the people themselves. The inhabi-
tants of the desolated region had pro-
tested against helping the government
to keep open communication with
Fort Schuyler, when there was con-
stant need for the protection of their
own district. The withdrawal of its
militia and the consequent terrible
result justified their worst apprehen-
sions.

This raid which culminated around
Fort Plain was one of the most de-
structive made during the war. Brant
had with him Cornplanter and other
distinguished chiefs. Col. Samuel
Clyde sent Gov. George Clinton an ac-
count of this affair, evidently written
from Fort Plain, as follows:

Canajoharie, Aug. 6, 1780.

Sir — I here send you an account of
the fate of our district:

On the 2d day of this inst. Joseph
Brant, at the head of four or five hun-
dred Indians and Tories, broke in upon
the settlements, and laid the best part
of the district in ashes, and killed 16
of the inhabitants that we have found,
took between 50 and 60 prisoners —
mostly women and children — 12 of
whom they sent back. They have
killed or drove away with them, up-
wards of 300 head of cattle and horses;
have burned 53 dwelling houses, be-
sides some outhouseSj and as many
barns; one very elegant church, and
one grist mill, and two small forts that
the women fled out of. They have
burned all the inhabitants' weapons
and implements for husbandry, so that
they are left in a miseralile condition.
They have nothing left to support
themselves but what grain they have
growing, and that they cannot get
saved for want of tools to work with
and very few to be got here.

This affair happened at a very un-
fortunate hour, when all the militia of
the county were called up to Fort
Schuyler — Stanwix — to guard nine bat-
teaux — half laden. It was said the
enemy intended to take them on their
passage to Fort Schuyler. There was
scarce a man left that was able to go.
It seems that everything conspired for
our destruction in this quarter; one
whole district almost destroyed and
the best regiment of militia in the
county rendered unable to help them-
selves or the public. This I refer you
to Gen. Rensselaer for the truth of.

Brant, with subtle savagery, had
thrown out a hint that he intended to
take or destroy the supply flotilla on
its way up the river. It was during
this invasion that the Indians took the
trader John Abeel, living at Fort
Plain, and he was afterward liberated
and sent back to his ruined home by
his son Cornplanter, the Seneca chief-
tain. Parties of Indians at this time
also made minor raids around Fort
Herkimer and Fort Dayton, in the
Schoharie valley and other sections.

Gyantwachia or Cornplanter, the
Seneca chief, was associated with
Brant in this Minden raid. He was a
son of John Abeel, the Indian trader
of Fort PlaiUj and the daughter of a
Seneca chief. Although a half breed
he was the leading man of his nation
for a period of almost sixty years.

At the close of the Revolution, he
was not only ready to bury the hatchet
but to take sides in all future troubles

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

with the Americans. He became the
Arm friend of Washington and was
perhaps the only Indian war chief, in
our borders, whose friendship for the
United States was unshalien in the In-
dian difficulties existing from 1791 to
1794. In 1797 Cornplanter paid a visit
to Washington at Philadelphia. He
fixed his permanent residence on the
Alleghany river in Pennsylvania, where
he subsequently lived and died and
where his descendants still reside. In
1802 Cornplanter paid a visit to Presi-
dent Jefferson. In the war of 1812 with
England, the Seneca chief, then al-
most 70 years old, offered to lead 200
warriors with the American troops
against the English. He was not al-
lowed to do so but some of his nation
were with the Americans in the war
and rendered efficient service as
scouts. His son, George Abeel, held a
major's commission and led these red
American soldiers. Cornplanter was
about five feet, ten inches in height
and a chief of fine bearing. He is said
to have been a fine orator in the In-
dian way and, to further the interests
of his people, made effective speeches
before Washington and before the gov-
ernor of Pennsylvania. The latter
state gave him, in 1789, 1,300 acres of
land and the national government paid
him $250 yearly, in appreciation of his
services rendered the country by keep-
ing his own people in friendship with
the United States. In 1866 the legis-
lature of Pennsylvania erected a mon-
ument to Cornplanter at Jennesadaga,
his village in Warren county in that
state, and also published a pamphlet
regarding his life and works. The
inscription on the monument reads:

"Giantwahia, the Cornplanter.

"John O'Bail [Abeel], alias Corn-
planter, died at Cornplanter town,
February 18, 1836, aged about 100
years.

"Chief of the Seneca tribe, and prin-
cipal chief of the Six Nations from the
period of the Revolutionary war to the
time of his death. Distinguished for
talents, courage, eloquence sobriety,
and love of his tribe and race, to whose
welfare he devoted his time, his ener-

gies and his means during a long and
eventful life."

Simms says the age given on this
monument is wrong and that Corn-
planter was born about 1746 and was
about 90 years old at the time of his
death. His visit to Fort Plain in 1810
is treated of in a later chapter.

CHAPTER XVII.

1780, August 2 — Incidents and Trage-
dies and Details of Brant's Minden
Raid.

The Canajoharie district raid of Au-
gust 2, 1780, by Indians and Tories
under Brant, was made from the direc-
tion of the Susqehanna valley through
the Otsquago valley and thoroughly
ravaged the Dutchtown and Freysbush
districts, culminating about Fort
Plain. For that period, the portion of
the Canajoharie district comprised in
the town of Minden was thickly
settled and the people fled to and
crowded the forts which were so fee-
bly defended on account of the with-
drawal of the militia to convoy stores
to Fort Schuyler. The maintenance of
this latter exposed post, and the con-
sequent splitting up of the defensive
strength of Tryon county among so
many forts, was doubtless the reason
that so many terrible raids of the
enemy devastated the valley, the hos-
tile force escaping before the scat-
tered garrisons and militia could unite
for common defense.

In the Minden raid the raiders broke
up into small bands, the more thor-
oughly to murder loot and burn. From
Simms's account, it appears that
the enemy remained in this section
during August 2 and that night and
the next day dispersed in small par-
ties, probably toward the Susqehanna
for the most part. This was done to
evade pursuit by the militia then
marching to Fort Plain and shows
how difficult is was for the patriot
Tryon county military authorities to
check these forays and brings into
prominence Willett's effective work in
the following year, at the time of the
two raids which ended in the American

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

victories of Sharon Springs and Johns-
town.

The Minden raid, in point of loss of
life, prisoners taken and property de-
stroj'ed takes rank as the most de-
structive which took place along the
Mohawk during the Revolution. At
German Flats, in September, 1778, 116
houses and barns were burned, but
there was no loss of life with the ex-
ception of three rangers who were
killed while scouting for Brant's force.
It was due to the long heroic run of
the noted scout Helmer to German
Flats and his warning to the farmers
that there was no further casualties.
About the same number of barns and
dwellings were burned in the Minden
raid of 1780, but in addition 16 people
were killed and 60 captured. The loss
of stock and implements was a most
serious one as it prevented the har-
vesting of crops and the Canajoharie
district was one of the most fertile
sections of the valley and was de-
pended upon frequently for bread and
foodstuffs by neighboring communi-
ties. Its defense of four forts had pre-
viously prevented its sacking, but its
forts were useless without sufficient
men and these were absent on the
march to Fort Stanwix to convoy a
comparatively trifling amount of
stores.

In this chapter are narrated some of
the personal experiences, tragedies
and details of this hostile foray in
Minden township. They show, as
nothing else can, what these raids
meant to the suffering valley people,
just as the experiences of the patriot
fighters at Oriskany display the hor-
rors of Revolutionary warfare along
the old New York frontier. They also
give further information about the
families about Fort Plain at that time
and furnish some insight into the farm
life of the period. They are summar-
ized or copied from Simms's "Fron-
tiersmen of New York."

John Rother, at this time, owned a
grist mill and had a farm in the Geis-
enberg neighborhood. Daniel Olen-
dorf was his miller. Rother owned a
big dog which barked and gave warn-
ing of the approaching Indians, on Au-

gust 2. Rother seized his gun and ran
for Fort Plank, more than a mile away,
followed by his niece. His wife hid
in a flax field. As the Indians ap--
proached the house the dog set upon
them furiously and they stopped to
shoot him, the reports arousing sev-
eral settlers and warning them of dan-
ger. The savages plundered and burn-
ed the dwellings, the first they fired in
that neighborhood. Rother and his
niece were chased by one Indian. Not
being able to keep up with her uncle,
the girl kept falling behind and the
Indian gaining. The panic-stricken
girl shouted "Uncle, the Indian."
Rother stopped and pointed his gun at
the Indian who would stop or fall
back. This was repeated a dozen
times until the two fugitives reached
the fort. Rother was afraid to fire for
had he missed, both would have been
tomahawked and scalped. His wife
was not discovered by the savages and
also escaped.

Joseph Myers lived four miles south-
west of Fort Plain. On the day of the
raid, he had gone to Fort Plank to
make cartridges, leaving his wife and
three children, aged three, five and
seven years, at home. Evan, the only
girl, was five. Myers had lost a limb
and wore a wooden leg. The family
lived a mile from the Rothers, before
mentioned, and Mrs. Rother was
known as the "Doctress," as she dis-
pensed home-made German herb rem-
edies. Mrs. Myers sent the two oldest
children to get some salve for the
youngest child's head. The oldest
brother said he would carry the
youngest on his back to the Rothers,
let the "Doctress" apply the salve, and
then carry him back. Evan was al-
lowed to accompany them. When
nearly half-way they heard a gun
fired and seeing Indians around Roth-
er's house, started to run home. The
savages saw them and several chased
them, one of them pinning the two lit-
tle boys to the ground with a bayo-
net as they were running pick-a-back.
Evan later thought she was not scalp-
ed as she did not cry. She was picked
up in the arms of an Indian and the
savages went to the Myers. Mrs. My-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ers, hearing the gun shot at Rother's,
hid and saved her life. The buildings
were plundered and burned. Evan
was taken to Canada with other pris-
oners and, on account of her tender
age, was borne on the back of an In-
dian most of the long, tiresome jour-
ney. On their arrival at the Indian
village an Indian took the girl in his
arms and whipped her. The little
flve-year-old was then put on a horse
led by an Indian, to run the gauntlet.
She was knocked off by blows several
times and put on again and was con-
siderably hurt but did rot dare cry.
She was then given an Indian dress
and her cheeks painted. She quickly
forgot her German tongue during her
life with the Indians, who found such
a small white child so much trouble
that they finally delivered her at Mon-
treal for a bounty. Here she soon
forgot her Indian and learned to speak
English. She was long in Canada be-
fore it was learned whose child she
was as she had forgotten her own
name. Peter Olendorf, who was cap-
tured in the same raid, readily guessed
her parentage when she said her
father had a wooden leg and lived not
far from a fort. Mrs. Bartlett Pick-
ard, with a nursing child, was cap-
tured in the vicinity of Myers, and
later liberated by Brant and sent
home. In order to take her home, Mrs.
Pickard claimed Evan was her child
but the Indians were not fooled and
the pretence was of no use. Mrs.
Pickard arrived at Port Plain, three
days after her capture, almost fa-
mished and then Mrs. Myers first
learned the fate of her daughter. Mrs.
Pletts, made a prisoner on the same
day in Freysbush, brought Evan back
with her, on her liberation from Can-
ada, taking a motherly care of her for
which, it is -unnecessary to say, her
parents were ever after grateful.

David Olendorf was at work with
his wife in his barn. He was pitching
wheat from his wagon and his wife
was mowing it away, a duty that often
devolved on women during the war.
When he, before the inuzzle of a gun,
was ordered down from the wagon, she
was not in sight and, upon being

asked, Olendorf said there was no one
else there. A suspicious savage said,
"If any one else is in the barn call
them out as we are going to burn it."
True to their word they did burn it
and, after it was set on fire, the wo-
man was called down from the loft.
The savages also burned and plun-
dered the house. With other prison-
ers, the Olendorfs were started on the
long journey to Canada, suffering se-
vere privations on the way. Soon after
their journey started the Indians ask-
ed Olendorf if he could run pretty
well and he said "Yes." Thereupon
they told him, if he could beat their
best Indian runner, he would be set at
liberty and this contest the white man
easily won. He soon found out why
his fleetness of foot had been thus
tested, for he was secui'ely bound
every night during the rest of the
journey. During the dreary march he
incurred the displeasure of an Indian,
who threw his tomahawk at Olendorf,
the blade sticking in a tree behind
which the white man sprang. An old
savage saved his life. On reaching
Canada Olendorf and his wife were
separated and he was imprisoned. He
then decided to enlist in the British
service and desert to his countrymen
at the earliest opportunity. While on
his way to the New York frontier set-
tlements, with a raiding party under
Sir John Johnson, two prisoners were
brought in. Olendorf, who was then
a sergeant, overheard the men talk in
German and he proposed to them for
all three to escape. It became his of-
ficial duty to post sentinels that night
which favored his design and after
stationing the most distant one he
took occasion on his return to lop sev-
eral twigs that he might pass the
outer watchman unobserved. Secur-
ing provisions, he conducted the two
men outside the camp at midnight.
Observing great caution, part of the
time crawling on their hands and
knees, the three found the broken
boughs and passed all the sentinels in
safety. "Now if you know the way to
the settlements, lead on for we have
not a moment to lose," said Olendorf.
One of the captives became pilot and

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

in a few days the trio reached Fort
Plain in safety, where they were joy-
ously received by their friends, whom
they forewarned of the enemy's ap-
proach.

Mrs. Olendorf, then with child, fear-
ed longer to remain in an Indian fam-
ily to which she had been taken and,
watching her opportunity when the
family were all drunk, to which condi-
tion she had contributed as far as
possible by freely passing the liquor,
she fled for refuge to the residence of
an English officer for protection. The
family were at first afraid to conceal
her, fearing the revenge of the sav-
ages. Her condition excited their pity
and they concealed her in a closet,
where the Indians failed to find her on
their search. On the birth of her little
son, two English gentlemen acted as
sponsors, from whom she had a cer-
tificate of its birth. She was finally
taken to Halifax, exchanged with other
prisoners, and finally reached Fort
Plain over a year after her capture.
The boy born in captivity, Daniel
Olendorf jr., became an inn keeper in
Cooperstown and his brother Peter
was an inn keeper at Fort Plain. Dan-
iel Olendorf senior was one of the
scouting party which shot Walter But-
ler the next year at West Canada
creek.

Baltus Sitts, of the Geisenberg set-
tlement, was at work in the fields with
his wife and so escaped unseen, but
his buildings were burned and plund-
ered. Mary Sitts, nine years old, and
her grandfather were captured. So-
phia Sitts, a five-year-old, was taken
by an Indian squaw in the apple or-
chard. After carrying the little pris-
oner on her back some distance, the
squaw found it too hard and, setting
the child on the ground, pointed to the
house and told her to go back. The
grandfather was taken to Fallhill
where he was liberated at the interces-
sion of the squaw named, who had
doubtless received at some time some
kindness or favor from the Sitts fam-
ily. Mary Sitts was taken to Canada,
adopted into an Indian family and
ever after remained there. A few years
later her father went after her and

found her, in everything but color, a
veritable squaw. No persuasion could
induce her to return and she later be-
came the wife of an Indian, at whose
death she married a white man and
remained in Canada.

According to Simms, Sophia Sitts
was living near Hallsville in 1882, be-
ing then at the age of 107 years.
Simms says she then distinctly re-
membered her own and her sister's
capture and says she was then five,
placing her birth Oct. 6, 1774. This
would make her the person living to
the oldest known age in the history
of the valley. In February, 1883, Mrs.
Sitts was still living, being then 108
years old. There is no record of her
death, to the writer's knowledge, but
she probably passed away soon after.
Few women are said to have done so
much hard work in their lifetime as
this centenarian and for many years
she was considered one of the best
binders ever seen in a wheat field.
Sophia Sitts had three husbands, Wil-
liam Livingston, Joseph Pooler and
Jacob Wagner.

Another similar case to that of Mary
Sitts is that of Christina Bettinger,
taken prisoner near Hallsville. Her
father, Martin, was with the militia on
the expedition to Fort Schuyler and
her mother was taken prisoner, with
six children, but was liberated after
the party had gone a short distance.
Among all the demoniac savagery,
which loved to murder and torture
human beings of the tenderest years
and of tottering age and all the per-
iods between, Brant's periods of clem-
ency and humanity stand out pecul-
iarly. He evidently protected his for-
mer friends as much as possible and
he decried the fiendish savagery of
Walter Butler and his like. There
were other Indians somewhat like him.
Christina Bettinger, 7 years old, was
not at the house but was captured by
another party and taken to Canada.
She was not exchanged at the end of
the war, and a few years later her
father found her. He found her living
among squaws and practically one of
them. She was identified by the scar
of a dog bite on her arm. She was

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

given a small cake, baked and sent her
by her mother, which touched her sen-
sibility even to tears. She refused to
return home and is believed to have
married an Indian and, uncouth and
uncivilized as she was, remained in her
isolated wilderness adopted home. A
family of Ecklers, residing near Bet-
tingers, were also captured.

Three brothers, John, Sebastian and
Matthias Shaul, then resided at Van
Hornesville and were all captured and
taken to Canada. Frederick Bronner,
living nearby, secreted himself under
an untanned cowhide, and so escaped
capture. The women and children
here were allowed to return home by
Brant, shortly after. Jacob Bronner,
George Snouts and Peter Casselman
were captured by the enemy near Fort
Plank. After the raid nine settlers
without cofRns were buried at this
post.

The following is copied verbatim
from Simms, as probably represent-
ative of family border experiences:

George Lintner was among the pio-
neer residents of that part of the Can-
ajoharie settlements known as Geis-
enberg in the present town of Min-
den, four miles from Fort Plain. On
the 2d day of August, Lintner went
early in the day to Fort Plank, a mile
or two distant, to perform some duty.
At the end of only a few hours he
learned from the signal guns of the
neighboring forts, as also from the
constant discharge of firearms, which
he believed in the hands of the enemy,
that the invaders of the territory were
numerous and would doubtless find
every habitation in the district. The
arrival of Pother and his niece and
probably other fugitives at this post,
told him of the possible fate of his own
family, but he dared not proceed
thither alone and Fort Plank was too
feebly garrisoned to afford a sallying
party. His family consisted of a wife
and five children, their ages ranging
at about 15, 11, 8 and 6 years and an
infant of a few months; and being
now unable to afford them needed as-
sistance caused him many an anxious
thought and fearful foreboding. The
names of these children in which their
ages stand were, Albert, Elizabeth,
John and Abram. During the fore-
noon, Mrs. Lintner and her children
had heard the frequent discharge of
guns in the neighborhood but did not
suspect it proceeded from the enemy
until noon, when they had seated
themselves at the dinner table. The

mother then began to feel disquieted
and said: "My children we are eating
our dmner here and the Indians might
come and murder us before we are
aware of it." As she said this she
arose from the table and opened the
door; and instantly she saw a sight
that alinost curdled the blood in her
vems. Scarcely a mile distant she
saw a thick cloud of smoke, and at
once recognized it as coining from the
roof of Pother's grist mill, while in
the next moment she heard the dis-
charge of several guns which the en-
emy had fired into a flock of sheep
near the mill. Such omens could not
be misconstrued, and snatching her
infant child she fled from the house,
followed by the other children, down
a steep bank into the woods just be-
yond. Scarcely had they gained this
covert when the Indians entered the
house and found the table ready for
dinner; and, not finding the family in
the house, they fired into and then
searched the bushes through which the
family had passed a few minutes be-
fore. Their firing told the fugitives
they had not fled one moment too soon.
Dispatching the dinner so opportunely
provided for them, they plundered and
set fire to the house, and only remain-
ing long enough to be sure it would
burn, they left it to pay a similar visit
to some other dwelling. After Mrs.
Lintner had found a favorable place
of concealment she discovered that
Abram, her six-year-old boy, had be-
come separated from the party, and
although she felt a mother's anxiety
for his safety, she dared not make a
search for him. The lad found his
way back to the house well on fire, ev-
idently soon after the Indians left it
and had sufficient presence of mind
to pull the cradle out of doors. He re-
mained about there all the afternoon
and as night came on he dragged the
cradle into a pig sty, still standing on
the premises, in which he slept that
night, too young to apprehend danger.
The three oldest children, two boys
and a girl, wended their way late in
the day to Fort Clyde, which they
reached in safety. Mrs. Lintner, with
her infant child, remained that night
under a hollow tree not far from her
late home. A family dog was with
her and several times in the evening
its bark was answered by another
which she supposed belonged to the
enemy and which she feared might be-
tray her hiding place. After a night
of fearful solicitude, she made her way
in safety to Fort Clyde, to find the
children who had gained it the even-
ing before. On the. morning after he
left his home of cheerful contentment,
Lintner, having heard no alarm guns,
ventured, as early as he dared to go,
to learn the fate of his family. Find-
ing his dwelling down, he approached

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

its site with fearful apprehension, but,
after careful examination of the de-
bris in which he could find no charred
remains, he became satisfied that the
family had not been murdered in the
house; and while still searching the
premises, if possible to learn their
fate, he discovered his little boj' in an
adjoining field following some cattle,
evidently not knowing what else to
do. He asked h'm where his mother
and the other children were, when he
began to cry, being unable to give any
account of them except that they ran
into the bushes back of the house. The
father, having become satisfied that
if the remainder of the family were
not prisoners on the road to Canada,
they might have reached Fort Clyde.
Taking the hand of his little boy,
thither he directed his steps; where to
their great joy, the family were again
united; when Mrs. Lintner, in Ger-
man, expressed her gratitude as fol-
lows: "Obwhol wir nun Alles verboren
haben ausser den Kleidern die wir auf
den Liebe tragen, so fuhl ich mich
doch reicher als jezmor in meinen
Leben!" ("Now, although, we have
lost everything but the clothes we
have on, I feel richer than I ever did
before in all my life!")

Within a short distance of Fort
Ehle (a mile or more south of Cana-
joharie) Brant's raiders surprised and
killed Adam Eights and took captive
to Canada, Nathan Foster and Conrad
Fritcher.

John Abeel was born in Albany
about 1724. He was an Indian trader
among the Senecas where he met the
"beautiful daughter of a Seneca chief"
and by her had a son who became the
celebrated Cornplanter. He was forc-
ed by Sir William Johnson to give up
his business among the Iroquois be-
cause his traffic in rum produced so
much drunkenness and misery among
them. In or shortly after 1756 he
settled at the beginning of the Dutch-
town road in the Sand Hill section and
built himself a stone house. His
grandson, Jacob Abeel, built here the
present substantial brick house about
1860. John Abeel settled upon lands
secured by patent to Rutger Bleecker,
Nicholas Bleecker, James Delancey
and John Haskoll, in 1729. They se-
cured 4,300 acres 'in a body along the
Mohawk on each side of the Otsquago
and extending up the creek several

miles. In 1759 John Abeel married
Mary Knouts. At the time of the Min-
den raid, Abeel was captured by the
Indians. He was taken on the flats,
between the house and the river. The
family were preparing dinner and the
table was set with food upon it, when
an alarm gun at Fort Plain caused the
women and children to run to that
nearby shelter. Arriving at the Abeel
house and finding a good dinner be-
fore them, the savages sat down and
finished it. Some of the Indians
brought out food and sat upon a
wagon, which stood before the door to
eat it. Henry Seeber, who was in the
fort and had a good gun, took a shot
at them although they were almost
out of range. There was a commo-
tion among them immediately and they
scattered at once. Some of them fired
the dwelling before leaving. As bloody
rags were found about later it was
evident that Seeber's bullet found a
mark. It is believed that Cornplanter
did not know of his father's captivity
under several hours, when some war
parties came together not very distant
from the river. He had not been a
prisoner long when he asked in the
Indian tongue: "What do you mean
to do with me?" This led at once to
the inquiry as to his name and where
he learned the Indian language. These
things becoming known, among the
savages, it was not long before Abeel
was confronted by a chief of com-
manding figure and manner, who ad-
dressed him: "You, I understand, are
John Abeel, once a trader among the
Senecas. You are my father. My
name is John Abeel, or Gy-ant-wa-
chia, the Cornplanter. I am a warrior
and have taken many scalps. You are
now my prisoner but you are safe from
all harm. Go with me to my home in
the Seneca country and you shall be
kindly cared for. My strong arm shall
provide, you with corn and venison.
But if you prefer to go back among
your pale-faced friends, you shall be
allowed to do so, and I will send an es-
cort of trusty Senecas to conduct you
back to Fort Plain." The chief's father
chose to return, and early in the even-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ing a party of Senecas left him near
the fort. At the close of the war Abeel
erected another house on the site of
his burned dwelling. The trader had
shown signs of insanity even prior to
the war, and after that time, in one
of his spells of insane anger, shot one
of his negro slaves through the head,
killing him. Neighbors went to ar-
rest him but he seated himself in his
door with his rifle and threatened to
shoot the first one who attempted his
arrest. At the first opportunity he was
taken in charge but was not put on
trial for the murder, as his unbalanc-
ed condition was so marked. As there
were no asylums in those days, he was
chained to the floor in a room of his
own house. Abeel had periodical fits of
being very ugly and troublesome and,
on such occasions, he would clank his
chain and continue a kind of Indian
war dance nearly all night. He was
handed his food through a small hole
with a slide door cut in the wall. As
he advanced in years and became en-
feebled he was allowed to wander
about his farm, and on one of his ram-
bles, he was gored to death by a bull.
His death was recorded by Rev. D. C.
A. Pick of the Reformed Dutch church
of Canajoharie (now Fort Plain), as
follows: "John Abeel, gestorben den
1 December, 1794, alt 70; beerdigt den
ejusd mensis anni alt in Michael."-^
John Abeel died 1 December, 1794, bur-
ied the 3, same week, same month
and year; aged in the day of St. Mich-
ael 70 years.

One of the numerous small bands,
into which Brant divided his force to
make destruction more complete, vis-
ited the home of John Knouts in
Freysbush. The site of the Knouts
dwelling may still be seen in the apple
orchard on the premises formerly
owned by Josiah Roof. Here are also
the graves of Mrs. Knouts and her
children, slain by the Indians. Knouts
was made here a prisoner and mur-
dered on the way north after the sav-
ages left the settlement. When the
Indians entered the house, Mrs. Knouts
was busy outside it and hearing the

outcries of her children inside, she ran
up just in time to see one of them
tomahawked. While begging for her
other children's lives, she was struck
down and scalped with the other two
children. Henry, a boy of eight or
ten, was taken from the house, pre-
sumably by a Tory neighbor, around
the corner and told to run for his life.
This he did but was seen by an In-
dian, struck with a tomahawk, scalped
and left for dead. On the day follow-
ing a party went from Fort Clyde to
bury these victims, when they found
this little boy still alive and able to
tell of the tragedy of the day before.
He was an intelligent child and said
he was running to get back of the barn
and so into the woods. He said: "I
should have escaped but an Indian met
me between the house and the barn,
who knocked me on the head with his
hatchet and pulled out my hair," mean-
ing that he had been scalped, of the
details of which operation he was evi-
dently ignorant. This brave little
Knouts boy was taken to Fort Clyde
and carefully treated and, after his
wounds had nearly healed, he took cold
and died. The mother was found ly-
ing in the dooryard with the three
children murdered with her in her
arms. Thus Indians sometimes disposed
of their slain, before firing a dwelling,
as supposed to strike the greater ter-
ror to living witnesses of their hellish
cruelty. Her scalp was hanging on a
stake, where the Indians had left it,
evidently having forgotten it in their
great haste to surprise other families.
There is a tradition that the Indian
who slew her took from her hand a
ring having on it a Masonic emblem,
discovering which he said: "Had I
known the squaw had on such a ring,
I would not have harmed her." It is
needless to say the buildings on the
Knouts place were burned and thus an
entire family and their home were
wiped out by almost incredible sav-
agery. John Abeel, the Indian trader
mentioned elsewhere, had married a
Knouts girl, who was probably a rela-
tive of this family.

In the general destruction of the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Dutchtown settlements in Minden, to
the surprise of everyone, the house of
George Countryman remained un-
harmed, since it was well known that
there was not a more staunch Whig in
the neighborhood. The circumstance
remained a mystery until the close of
the war. He had a brother who had
followed the Butlers and Johnsons
to Canada, who was with the Minden
marauders. He was a married man
and, supposing his wife was at his
brother's house, induced the raiders to
spare it. After the war this brother
in Canada wrote George Countryman
that had be known at the time that
his own wife was not in it, he would
have seen that smoke with the rest.

The house of Johannes Lipe, very
near Fort Plain, was saved from
plunder and fire by the courage and
presence of mind of his wife. She had
been busy all the evening carrying her
most valuable articles from her house
to a place of concealment in the ra-
vine nearby. The last time she re-
turned she met two prowling Indians
at the gate. She was familiar with
their language and, without any ap-
parent alarm, enquired of them if they
knew anything of her two brothers
who were among the Tories who had
fled to Canada. Fortunately the sav-
ages had seen them at Oswegatchie
and, supposing her to be a Tory like-
wise, they walked off and the house
was spared.

The families of Freysbush who were
accustomed to seek safety in Fort
Clyde were Nellis, Yerdon, Garlock,
Radnour, Dunckel, Wormuth, Miller,
Lintner, Walrath, Lewis, Wolfe, Fail-
ing, Schreiber, Ehle, Knouts, Wester-
man, Brookman, Young, Yates and a
few others. From the Knouts house
the savages went to the home of Johan
Steffanis Schreiber, who discovered
them approaching and made his es-
cape. They made prisoners of his wife
and two or three small children and
led them into captivit^^ a fact record-
ed on a family powder horn, which is
now owned by the state.

Nancy Yerdon was married to George
Pletts and lived on a farm owned in
1882 by Philip Failing. She had given

birth to twins a few months previous,
one of whom had died, and had sev-
eral other children. The family were
living at Nancy's father's house, that
of John Caspar Yerdon. On the day
of the raid she went to the vicinity of
a spring at some distance to dig pota-
toes for dinner, leaving her nursing
child in a cradle in the house. While
at work an Indian made her a pris-
oner and hurried her away to where
other captives were being rounded up.
The Yerdon house, for some reason,
was not approached. After several
small war parties were assembled, with
their captives, a shower came up and
the party took refuge behind a hay-
stack. Here the savages conferred
and decided to kill their prisoners if
they had to abandon them. Mrs. Pletts,
as the weather was warm, was clad
only in an undergarment and a skirt,
not even having on the accustomed
short gown of that period, and thus
scantily clad was compelled to
travel all the way to Canada. The in-
fant left in the cradle was named
Elizabeth and grew up and married
Henry Hurdick, who was a jockey on
the local race-tracks of that day.
Maria Strobeck, a "sprightly girl just
entering her teens," was also captured
with her father at a clearing where
they had gone to get some ashes near
the Failing farm in the vicinity of
Mrs. Pletts, and went with the party
as the latter did to Canada. On their
way to Canada, Mrs. Pletts and the
Strobeck girl, toward whom the former
acted as a foster mother, were scantily
fed. On her return, Mrs. Pletts told
her friends that on their long, weary
journey they came to a brook in which
they caught several small fish which
they ate raw, and, although they were
wriggling in their mouths, they proved
a luxury. On arriving in the Canadian
country, they were taken into separ-
ate Indian families; and, finding many
unclean dishes, Mrs. Pletts, who was a
tidy woman, voluntarily scoured them
clean and kept them so. This act very
much pleased the Indians, who treated
her afterward with marked kindness.
She felt it still her duty to keep a
parental eye on Miss Strobeck. Find-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ing her romping with the young In-
dians, the married woman tried to per-
suade her to leave them, but "she was
so happy with them she would give no
heed to the counsel of Mrs. Pletts. In-
deed she became so infatuated with
the novelty of Indian life that she
could not be persuaded to be included
in the exchange of prisoners and did
not return with Mrs. Pletts when she
might. Some six or eight years after
the war, her father journeyed to Can-
ada and found her, but she could not
be prevailed upon to return home with
him; and it was supposed she subse-
quently took an Indian husband and
remained there." While among the In-
dians, Mrs. Pletts was given a sewing
needle, which she boasted of using for
years after her return and which she
prized very highly. Among the pris-
oners who came back from Canada
were Mrs. Pletts and John Peter Dunc-
kel. Years later, when they were well
along in years and were then widow
and widower, they concluded to unite
their fortunes, and came on foot to
Dominie Gros, who then lived in Freys-
bush. And so they were married and
none of the ten grown-up children of
the couple by former marriages, ob-
jected or ever considered this uncon-
ventional marriage of the old folks as
a runaway match. It was an agree-
able pastime for the young to hear
this old couple relate stories of the
war, their own perils included.

Mrs. Dyonisius Miller was made a
prisoner in the Freysbush settlement.
She had with her a small nursing
child. She was placed on a horse,
which was led by an Indian to Can-
ada. Although the savages generally
came down in large bodies, they usu-
ally returned in small parties; and
prisoners taken near together often
journeyed with different captives, some
of them not meeting again until their
return. As the party of which Mrs.
Miller was one became straitened for
food, she had but little nourishment
for her infant child and, as it cried
from weariness and hunger, an In-
dian more than once came back,
hatchet in hand to kill it, but pressing
it to her breast, she would not afford

him the desired opportunity. Indians
dislike intensely the sound of a crying
child. To save her darling, Mrs. Mil-
ler kept almost constantly nursing it
or attempting to, until her breast be-
came so sore as to cause her great
agony. But she saved the life of the
infant girl and brought it back safely
to her old home, when released. This
child, when grown to womanhood,
married William Dygert.

Henry Nellis lived near Fort Clyde,
upon whose land the post was erected,
with his son, George H. Nellis. The
latter became a general of militia and
man of considerable prominence at a
later day. On the day of the raid they
both fled to the fort pursued by a
party of Indians. At a shot the son
caught his foot in some obstruction
and fell, his father thinking him killed.
The younger man jumped up and both
got inside the stockade in safety. A
bullet hole through the son's hat show-
ed that the fall had saved his life..

Adam Garlock was riding his horse,
when the beast scented the Indians,
as horses frequently did in those days.
Garlock, thus warned, saw a party of
Indians approaching, wheeled his
horse about and galloped in safety to
Fort Clyde amid a storm of bullets.
"This circumstance is said to have
aided him in procuring a $40 pension,
of which bounty he felt quite proud."
At this invasion of the enemy Eliza-
beth Garlock was scalped and left for
dead on the river road above Fort
Plain. She supposed the deed was
done by a Tory named Countryman,
who had been a former neighbor. He
was painted as an Indian. Tories were
often called "blue-eyed Indians." Eliz-
abeth Garlock recovered and later
married Nicholas Phillips and died at
Vernon, N. Y., at the age of 80 years.
John, son of Thomas Casler, who
was an early settler of Freysbush, was
captured. On the way to Canada, the
prisoners were bound to trees nights
and one night the carelessness of the
Indians set the leaves on flre. As the
flames neared Casler, he called to the
savages to release him. A Tory, in the
raiding party, named Bernard Frey,
who knew the prisoner well, said to

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the Indians, "Let the damned rebel
burn up." The red men, however, were
more humane and saved Casler. A
night or two later Casler escaped and,
rightly supposing the savages would
search for him on the back track, he
ran back a short distance and hid to
one side of the route. Here he remain-
ed while his foes pursued him back
and until their return. Then in safety
he returned to the ashes of his home.
Casler always said, in after life, that
he would shoot Bernard Frey on sight,
such was the feeling engendered
among next-door neighbors around
Fort Plain by this murderous warfare.
Casler entertained no love for the In-
dians and, during a subsequent deer
hunting trip, killed a red man on a
Schoharie mountain.

Warner Dygert was murdered on his
farm at the west end of the Canajo-
harie district. He was a brother-in-
law of Gen. Nicholas Herkimer, and
kept a tavern at Fall Hill. Dygert,
with his son Suffrenas, started out to
make a corn crib, carrying a gun as
was the universal custom in those
days. His movements were watched
by four Indians. He set down his
gun and, with his tinder box and i^int,
lit his pipe. Just then he was shot
down and scalped. The little boy was
taken to Canada, finally returning in
the same party with Mrs. Pletts and
Mr. Dunckel, before mentioned and
other captives from the Canajoharie
district. The younger Dygert finally
removed to Canada.

Jacob Nellis of Dutchtown was jour-
neying to Indian Castle on the day of
the raid. He was shot down opposite
East Canada creek. His father, who
was called the oldest man of the name,
saved himself by a ruse. As the In-
dians approached the house, the old
man shouted at the top of his voice:
"Here they are boys! March up!
March up!" and the savages fled, fear-
ing the house was fortified. A German
doctor and his wife, named Frank,
were killed in Dutchtown. Frederick
Countryman was stabbed with a
spear nineteen times and killed.
Brant expressed regret at this and
coming up and seeing the corpse

made the typical Indian remark: "It
is as it is, but if it had not
been, it should not happen." An old
man named House was captured and
killed because the savages thought
him too old to bother with on the Ca-
nadian march. A girl named Martha
House was captured thinly clad and
taken to Canada, reaching there after
the long, hard journey in an almost
naked condition. Her Indian captor
treated her kindly. On her return she
married a man named Staley, who had
also been a Canadian captive.

Regarding Brant, during this raid
the following comes from an early
writer, Rev. Dr. Lintner, born in the
locality and who knew the people and
circumstances: "He [Brant] occa-
sionally exhibited traits of humanity
which were redeeming qualities of his
character. On the evening of the day
when the Canajoharie settlement was
destroyed by the Indians, some 12 or
15 women were brought in as prison-
ers. Brant saw their distress and his
heart was touched with compassion.
While the Indians were regaling
themselves over their plunder— danc-
ing and yelling around their camp
fires, Brant approached the little group
of terror-stricken prisoners and said:
'Follow me!' They expected to be led
to instant death but he conducted
them through the darkness of the
dreadful night to a place in the woods
some distance from the Indian camp,
where he ordered them to sit down and
keep still until the next day, when the
sun should have reached a mark which
he made on a tree, and then they
might return home. He then left them.
The next morning, a little before break
of day, he came again and made an-
other mark higher on the tree and
told them they must not set out till
the sun had reached that mark; for
some of his Indians were still back,
and if they met them they would be
killed. They remained according to
his directions and then they safely re-
turned to the settlement." The Rev.
Mr. Lintner said in a historical ad-
dress: "Much of the bitter feeling
which existed in this country against
the mother country, after the Revolu-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tion, was engendered by that inhuman
policy which instigated the savages to
mal<e war upon us with the tomahawk
and scalping knife. The bounty of-
fered for scalps was horrible. It stim-
ulated the savages to acts of barbar-
ity and was revolting to the moral
feelings and social sympathies of all
civilized peoples."

There is at least one personal ex-
perience related of a soldier who prob-
ably accompanied Gansevoort's troops
to Fort Schuyler, which expedition re-
sulted in the Canajoharie district raid.
In the spring of 1780 Jacob Shew went
for one of "a class," as then termed, in
Capt. Garret Putman's company, for
the term of nine months, part of which
time he was on duty at Fort Plank.
The ranger service often called troops
from one post to another. Shew was
one of a guard of about a dozen men
sent with a drove of cattle from Fort
Plain to Fort Schuyler. While en-
camped near the village of Mohawk
they were fired upon in the dark and
several Americans were wounded. The
fire was promptly returned and there
was no reply from the enemy. Shew
was also one of a guard sent up the
Mohawk with several boats loaded
with provisions and military stores.
These boats, at that time, were usu-
ally laden at Schenectady and came
to Fort Plain, where an armed guard
was detailed to escort them up the
valley. The troops went along the
shore and at the rapids had to assist
in getting the boats along, which were
laid up nights, the boatmen encamping
on the shore with the guard.

The tactics of these British and In-
dian raids was to destroy the supplies
of Tryon county patriots and crumple
back the frontier. During the whole
war no deadlier blow, in this direction,
was struck than that whose force cen-
tered in Minden around Fort Plain.

Fort Plain must have been a scene
of tragedy enough to wring the stout-
est heart. It was manned by a tiny
garrison which feared, at any time, its
utter annihilation and filled with men,
women and children, all of whom had
lost their homes and many of whom

mourned part or all of their families
as dead or captured. Their grief was
not mitigated by resentment toward
the stupid act of the officials who had
left unguarded one of the richest gran-
aries of the opulent valley, to insure
the safety of a few boat loads of pro-
visions and supplies.

What was true of Fort Plain was
also true of the other posts of the
Canajoharie district. Forts Win-
decker, Plank and Clyde. Fort Wil-
lett was not then constructed. They
were all crowded with the survivors
of their neighborhoods. The Cana-
joharie district was thickly settled for
that time and that portion of it com-
prised within the present town of
Minden was particularly so, with its
fertile Freysbush and Dutchtown sec-
tions. It was owing to the very com-
plete chain of fortifications hereabouts
that the greater part of the popula-
tion escaped massacre. The people of
Palatine also gathered in Fort Paris
and Fort Kyser, and all up and down
the valley, the population, left unde-
fended by the absence of their mili-
tary force, fled to neighboring forts.
The fortified and palisaded farmhouses
must almost have been crowded by a
panic-stricken population and it was
only these few well-defended places
that escaped destruction.

Simms gives an account of the forti-
fied houses of this section which are
here summarized as follows:

In Canajoharie township: Fort Ehle;
Van Alstine house (now called, for
some unknown reason, Fort Rennse-
laer) ; Fort Failing.

In Palatine: Fort Frey, Fort Wag-
ner, Fort Fox.

In St. Johnsville: Fort Hess, Fort
Klock. Fort Nellis, Fort Timmerman,
Fort House (a little below East Creek).

Simms gives no similar list of the
Minden fortified houses.

William Irving Walter of St. Johns-
ville, in a letter to the Fort Plain
Standard under date of December 19,
1912, says of the Minden raid:

"The raiders, after their work of
massacre and rapine, camped at a ra-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

vine a little to the west of Starkville,
still known locally as Camp Creek,
where they intended to rest a few days
and recruit for their long trip on the
return." Brant's stay here was short-
ened by the approach of the militia,
but at least part of his force was in
the Minden vicinity two or three days.
This shows the retreat of the Tory and
Indian force to have been back up the
Otsquago valley to the headwaters of
the Susquehanna and from thence into
the Iroquois country.

Simms says that Fort Plain became
the headquarters of the neighboring
valley forts in 1780. Whether it was
such at the time of the Minden raid is
not known. Here a military escort
took charge of the convoys of sup-
plies brought up the valley on flat-
boats, as before stated. This would
necessitate a garrison larger than at
the ordinary post and the American
valley commander would naturally se-
lect the post, with the largest garri-
son and a central location, as his head-
quarters. Fort Plain was the most
centrally located post in the valley
and it was also the point where the
guard for the boats was located, so
that it is probable it was the head-
quarters on August 2, 1780.

Mrs. W. W. Crannell, an Albany
writer, in her "Grandmother's Child-
hood Tales," gives a picture which
might well pass and may well be that
of a Minden family during the night of
the raid of August 2, 1780. This ac-
count also gives a picture of a Mo-
hawk valley farm house in the early
nineteenth century and the whole is
here included:

Seventeen miles from my own home
in the county of Herkimer, was situ-
ated the old home in which my mother
was born. With the exception of
Santa Claus, there was nothing looked
forward to so eagerly, or from which
we anticipated so much pleasure as
the semi-annual visit to this old home-
stead. After we left the main road,
we drove along a private road or lane,
that made its way from one main road
to another; a sort of short cut of two
or three miles, through the lands of
several farmers whose houses were
built, as the farmhovises of that period
were wont to be, in the center of the

farm. When we reached the door-
yard, we unbarred the gate and drove
through a flock of hissing geese and
quacking ducks, up to the back or
porch door. The noise of the geese
would call grandmother to the door,
and her bright, cherry face, crowned
with its wealth of snowy, white hair,
would appear at the upper half of the
door, which was flung open while her
trembling fingers were unfastening
the lower half. How well I remember
the old house, with its porch or
"stoop," through which we passed
into the "living room." The red beams
overhead were filled with pegs, upon
which were hung Ijraided ears of corn,
stumps of dried apples, or other home-
ly articles which had not been put in
winter quarters yet. And then the
fire-place — such corn and potatoes as
we roasted in its ashes. How often we
sat before its cheerful blaze and drank
sweet cider and ate apples, while we
listened to our elders' tales, until Mor-
pheus wooed us to his emlirace. And
what fun it was to climb into bed.
First to pull the curtains back, and
then throw down the blue and white
spread, the flannel and the linen
sheets, all homespun. If it was cold,
the warming pan was placed between
the sheets, and then, getting upon a
chair, we stept upon the chest near the
bed, and with the aid of mother and a
"one, two, three," in we went, down,
down, down into the soft warm feather
beds. Did we ever sleep such a sleep
as that in after years?

But I digress; this is not what I set
out to relate. When mother and aunts
were out visiting the neighbors then
grandmother (Nancy Keller), taking
knitting, would sit down before the fire
and talk of her girlhood.

"Those were hard and dreadful
times," she would say. "Some of them
I do not remember, as I was a baby
when they transpired, but my mother
(Moyer) told me that often she would
wake up in the middle of the night and
the sound of a horn, and a man's voice
crying out 'To arms! to arms!'
Father would run for his musket, and
mother would take me in her arms
and, with my two brothers clinging to
her dress, start for her shelter in the
woods. All the farmers had some
place of safety for their families to
run to in case of an alarm. Ours was
a hollow place in the woods between
some trees. It was just big enough
for us to lie down in, and the boughs
and underbrush at the sides had been
arranged to hide it from the savage
eye. One night we had gained the
place in safety, our way to the woods
being lighted by fires from burning
hay-stacks and buildings. I had been
ill and I moaned and cried, while my
brothers lay down as close to mother's
side as possible. All at once we heard

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

soft foot falls on the leafy ground;
then an Indian passed quickly with a
lighted torch, then another and an-
other; how many was never known for
we could see them so plainly through
the boughs placed over us, that we
closed our eyes in fear and scarcely
breathed. les 'we,' for I ceased
crying and nestled close on mother's
breast. How long did we lie there?
We never knew. Measured by what
we endured it was ages before we
heard father's voice calling, 'All
right, come out,' and what must moth-
er have suffered? Every gun shot
might be the death call of her hus-
band; every footfall and quick passing
shadow, be death personified for her.
And when the footfall ceased near
her hiding place and the shadow re-
mained stationary, when one cry of
the baby in her arms or the children
at her side were messengers of instant
and horrible death; when at last the
shadow started and the feet gave a
headlong bound, and a fearful whoop
rang out upon the stillness about her;
what wonderful control of her nerves
she must have had, not to betray her
presence by the least movement, and
how well we learned, even to the baby
to sustain a rigid silence."

CHAPTER XVni.

1780 — Johnson's Schoharie and Mo-
hawk Invasion — Oct. 19, Battles of
Stone Arabia and St. Johnsville — Van
Rensselaer's Inefficiency — Enemy Es-
capes— Fort Plain Named Fort Rens-
selaei — Fort Plain Blockhouse Built
— Fort Wiilett Begun.

In the fall of 1780, an invading force
under Sir John Johnson, Joseph Brant
and the Seneca chief Cornplanter, rav-
aged the Schoharie and Mohawk val-
leys. The battles of Stone Arabia and
St. Johnsville were fought and the
enemy escaped, after a defeat at the
latter place. They would have been
crushed or captured by a pursuing
American force had it not been for the
complete inefficiency of the militia
commander. Gen. Robert Van Rens-
selaer. Practically every town of
Montgomery county was concerned in
this campaign, either being the scene
of ravages by Johnson or the march
of and battles of the patriot force.
The object of this Tory and Indian
raid, like all others, was to destroy
completely the houses, barns and crops
of all the Whigs along the Schoharie

and Mohawk. By destroying or plun-
dering the country of all supplies the
enemy hoped to weaken the resistance
of the frontier. This raid was particu-
larly destructive to the Schoharie coun-
try. It followed, within three months,
Brant's terrible Minden foray of Au-
gust 2, 1780. Thus did blow after blow
fall upon the suffering but valiant peo-
ple of the Mohawk.

At Unadilla, Brant and Cornplanter,
with their Indians, joined Johnson and
his force, which consisted of three
companies of the Royal Greens, one
company of German Yagers, 200 of
Butler's rangers, a company of Brit-
ish regulars and a party of Indians.
The total force must have approximat-
ed 800 men or more. Sir John and his
army came from Montreal, by way of
Oswego, bringing with them two small
mortars and a brass three-pounder,
mounted on legs instead of wheels and
so called a "grasshopper." This artil-
lery was mounted on pack horses.

The plan of the raiders was, upon
reaching the Schoharie, to pass the
upper, of the three small forts on that
stream, by night and unobserved; to
destroy the settlements between there
and the Middle Fort and attack the
latter in the morning. This plan was
carried out October 16, the homes of
all but Tories being burned. The Mid-
dle Fort was bombarded without ef-
fect and the enemy then moved down
the Schoharie to Fort Hunter, making
a feeble attack on the Lower Fort by
the way.

All buildings and hay stacks belong-
ing to Whigs were burned and their
cattle and horses appropriated. One
hundred thousand bushels of grain
were thus destroyed and (says Beers)
nearly 100 settlers were murdered.
The Whigs were so roused over the
destruction of their property that, af-
ter the enemy disappeared, they fired
the buildings and crops of their Tory
neighbors, which had been spared, and
the ruin along the Schoharie was thus
complete.

Ravaging the Schoharie valley,
Johnson and Brant's Tory and Indian
force moved north, down the Scho-
harie creek, and entered that part of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

its course which flows through Mont-
gomery county. Johnson buried one
mortar he had been using and his
shells in a little "Vlaie" (natural
meadow) in the town of Charleston.
In 1857 some of these shells were plow-
ed up. The Schoharie militia, under
Col. Vrooman, followed Johnson's
course toward the Mohawk, during
which march the enemy took several
prisoners and continued the looting
and burning of houses and barns.
Johnson and Brant gave Fort Hunter
a wide berth, passing that fortification
at a distance of half a mile. Here a
Tory named Schremling, was scalped
and killed (his political leanings not
being known) and a number of women
and children of the Schremling, Young
and Martin families were captured.

An Indian and Tory detachment
crossed the Mohawk to plunder and
ravage the north side, while the main
body continued westward through the
town of Glen, on the south side high-
way, to a point, in the town of Root, a
little east of the Nose, known on the
Erie canal as the Willow Basin, and
there encamped for the night. Nearly
all the buildings, on both sides, along
the Mohawk were burned and plunder-
ed from Fort Hunter to the Nose. On
this march British regulars guarded
the prisoners to prevent the Indians
from murdering them. A little cap-
tive girl of ten years, Magdalena Mar-
tin, was taken up by Walter Butler
and rode in front of him on his horse.
The evening being very bitter, Butler
let the little maid put her cold hands in
his fur-lined pockets and thus they
journeyed to the camping ground.
One of the raiders asked Butler what
he was going to do with the pretty
girl. "Make a wife of her," was his
quick reply. This small Revolutionary
captive became the wife of Matthias
Becker and the mother of ten children.
She died in Fort Plain, at the home of
her son-in-law, William A. Haslett, in
1862, in her 93d year. So closely are
we unknowingly linked with the past
that there may be those who read this
page who personally knew this old
lady, who, as a little girl, rode with
Butler and warmed her hands in his

pockets on a chilly October night over
a century and a quarter ago. And
such a strange and wayward thing is
the nature of man that we look with
wonder at the picture of this Tory
murderer of women and little ones
cuddling a small rebel child to keep
her from the cold.

The next morning at the Nose, learn-
ing that a force of Albany and Sche-
nectady militia were coming after him,
Johnson allowed Mrs. Martin and her
children to return home, with the ex-
ception of her 14-year-old son.

News of the raid had reached Al-
bany and the Schenectady and Albany
militia quickly assembled and pro-
ceeded with great speed up the Mo-
hawk to attack Johnson's men. Gen.
Robert Van Rensselaer of Claverack,
commanded the pursuit and he was ac-
companied by Gov. Clinton. On the
evening of the 18th they encamped in
the present town of Florida. From
there Van Rennselaer sent word to
Col. Brown at Fort Paris and to Fort
Plain (probably directed to Col. John
Harper). Brown was ordered to at-
tack the enemy in the front the next
morning, while Van Rensselaer's army
fell on their rear.

On September 11, 1780, according to
a state report. Col. Brown, at Fort
Paris, had 276 men under him, and
Col. John Harper (supposedly at Fort
Plain then) commanded 146, and there
were but 455 men to guard the fron-
tier in the Canajoharie-Palatine dis-
tricts. These troops were then under
the command of Brigadier-General
Robert Van Rensselaer. When Brown
attacked Johnson at Stone Arabia he
had but 200 American militiamen with
him and it is probable the balance of
the patriot force (then located at three
posts) in this neighborhood were left
to guard the forts or were on duty
elsewhere. The Fort Plain soldiers
joined Van Rensselaer's force as later
noted. The valley people, warned of
the enemy's approach, gathered in the
local forts for safety and there were
few or no casualities among them,
after Johnson left Fort Hunter on his
march westward.

On the morning of October 19, 1780,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Johnson's army crossed the Mohawk
at Keator's rift (near Sprakers) and
headed for Stone Arabia, leaving a
guard of 40 men at the ford. At al-
most the same time Col. Brown parad-
ed his men, to the number of 150 or
200, and sallied forth from Port Paris
to meet the enemy. The American
commander, mounted on a small black
horse, marched straight for the ap-
proaching foe. He passed Fort
Keyser, where he was joined by a few
militiamen, and met Johnson's army
in an open field about two miles east
by north of Palatine Bridge. Capt.
Casselman advised Col. Brown, con-
sidering the overwhelming force and
protected position of the enemy, to
keep the Americans covered by a
fence. Without his usual caution,
Brown ordered an advance into the
open, where his men were subjected to
a heavy fire. The militia returned the
fire, fought gallantly and stood their
ground, although many of their num-
ber were being killed and wounded.
Seeing he was being outflanked by the
Indians, at about ten in the morning.
Col. Brown ordered a retreat, at which
time he was struck down by a musket
ball through the heart. The pursuit
of the enemy made it impossible for
his men to bear off their commander's
body and it was scalped and stripped
of everything except a ruffled shirt.
Thirty Americans were killed and the
remainder fled, some north into the
forest and some south toward the Mo-
hawk and Van Rensselaer's army.
Two of the Stone Arabia men took
refuge in Judge Jacob Backer's house
and put up a defense until the Indians
fired the building, after which the sav-
ages stood around and laughed at the
shrieks of their burning victims. The
enemy's loss was probably less than
that of the Americans on this field.

The British regulars passed Fort
Keyser without firing a shot. Capt.
John Zielie, with six militiamen and
two aged farmers, were at the port-
holes, with muskets cocked and hats
filled with cartridges at their sides,
but held their fire for fear of an at-
tack which would mean annihilation.
When the enemy were out of sight four

of the militiamen from this post set
out for the field of battle, found Col.
Brown's body and bore it back in their
arms to Fort Keyser.

The Tories, British and Indians after
this ravaged, plundered and burned all
through the Stone Arabia district,
among other buildings, burning both
the Reformed and Lutheran churches.
Few, if any of the inhabitants were
killed or captured as all had taken
refuge in the forts or in the woods.
After the burning and plundering,
Johnson collected his men by bugle
calls and the blowing of tin horns and
pursued his way westward toward the
Mohawk.

On the morning of the 19th, Gen.
Van Rensselaer started his pursuit,
from his Florida campground, at
moonrise. He reached Fort Hunter
before daybreak and was there joined
by the Schoharie militia. Van Rens-
selaer came up to Keator's rift,
shortly after Johnson had crossed. It
was probably here that his force was
joined by Col. Harper, Capt. McKean
with 80 men (probably from Fort
Plain) and a large body of Oneida In-
dians under their principal chief,
Louis Atayataroughta, who had been
commissioned a lieutenant-colonel by
congress. Col. Harper, probably then
in command at Fort Plain (as S. L.
Frey locates him there in September),
was in chief command of the Oneidas.
Van Rensselaer's army was now dou-
ble that of Johnson's. Here the Am-
erican commander halted, perhaps de-
terred from crossing the ford by the
small rear guard of the enemy which
was stationed on the opposite bank.
The firing at the Stone Arabia field,
two miles distant, was plainly heard
and here came fugitives fleeing from
the defeated force, bringing news of
the rout and of the killing of Col.
Brown. One of Brown's men, a militia
officer named Van Allen, promptly re-
ported to Gen. Van Rensselaer, with
an account of the action, and asked
the latter if he was not going to cross
the river and engage the enemy. The
general replied that he did not know
the fording place well enough. He was
told that the ford was easy and Van

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Allen offered to act as pilot. There-
upon Capt. McKean's company and the
Oneidas crossed the river. Instead of
supporting this advance party, in his
promised cooperation with Col.
Brown's men, it then being near
noontime, Gen. Van Rensselaer now
accompanied Col. Dubois to Fort Plain
to dine with Gov. Clinton.

Gen. Van Rensselaer, after leaving
Keator's Rift, ordered the company of
Lieut. Driscoll and his artillery to
Fort Plain, possibly anticipating an
attack by Johnson in that quarter. He
tried the ford opposite Fort Frey but
found it impassable and ordered his
men to cross at Walrath's ferry at
Fort Plain. They, however, made the
passage of the Mohawk at Ehle's rift,
near what was later Ver Planck's and
is now called Nellis's island. They
stopped at the house of Adam Coun-
tryman on the Canajoharie side and
here turned into the road which led
to the ford, which existed in the river
prior to the barge canal operations.
This was later the Ver Planck and
still later the Nellis farm. Here the
American troops began the passage of
the Mohawk while their general was
wasting valuable time in a lengthy
dinner at "Fort Plain or Rensselaer."

At Fort Plain, it is said. Col.
Harper denounced Van Rensselaer
for his incompetency and appar-
ent cowardice and other officers
joined in with Harper, while the
Oneida chief called him a Tory to his
face. About four o'clock Van Rens-
selaer rode back, through the present
village of Fort Plain, to his men, who
were as bitter against him as his of-
ficers were. Here he found that the
remainder of his army had crossed
the Mohawk at Ehle's rift (just below
Fort Plain), in the extreme western
end of the town of Canajoharie, on a
rude bridge built upon wagons driven
into the river. At length Van Rens-
selaer was stung into something like
activity and, late in the afternoon, the
pursuit was rapidly resumed (from
the present village of Nelliston) up
the north shore turnpike through the
town of Palatine.

Sir John Johnson, seeing that he

could not avoid an attack, threw up
slight breastworks and arranged his
forces in order of battle. This posi-
tion was in the town of St. Johnsville,
about one and one-half miles east of
the eastern village limits of the vil-
lage of St. Johnsville. The Tories and
Butler's rangers occupied a small
plain, partly protected by a bend in
the river, while Brant with his In-
dians, concealed in a thicket on a
slight elevation farther north, were
supported by a detachment of German
Yagers. It was near evening when the
Americans came up and the battle
commenced. Van Rensselaer's extreme
right was commanded by Col. Dubois,
and then came the Oneidas and the left
was led by Col. Cuyler. As the Amer-
icans approached the Indians in am-
bush shouted the war-whoop. The
Oneidas responded and rushed upon
their Iroquois brethren, followed by
McKean's men; the latter supported by
Col. Dubois, whose wing of the battle
was too extended to match the ene-
my's disposition of forces. Brant's
savage band resisted for a time the
impetuous charge, but finallj'- broke
and fled toward a ford, about two miles
up the river. Brant was wounded in
the heel but got away. Several were
killed and wounded on both sides and
the enemy everywhere gave way in
great disorder and fled westward. It
was now becoming so dark that the
American officers feared their men
would shoot each other and the gen-
eral flring was discontinued, although
the Oneidas, Capt. McKean's and Col.
Clyde's men pursued and harassed the
flying enemy, capturing one of their
field pieces and some prisoners. John-
son's men, utterly exhausted from their
prior marching and exertions, camped
on a meadow, at a point on the
river near the ford. Here he spiked
and subsequently abandoned his can-
non. At this time the Americans could
have driven the enemy into the river
and have captured or destroyed them.
All accounts agree that the patriot
troops were eager to get at the enemy
but their spirit was of no avail owing
to the weakness of their commanding
officer.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Col. Dubois took a position above
Johnson on the north side of the river
to prevent the enemy's escape. Col.
Harper's men and the Oneidas crossed
to the opposite side and camped on
the Minden shore, opposite Johnson's
bivouac. Gen. Van Rensselaer or-
dered an attack at moonrise, giving
orders that it was to begin under his
personal supervision. He then exe-
cuted the remarkable manoeuvre of
falling back with the main body down
the river three miles, where he went
into camp for the night. Johnson's
entire force, as subsequently shown,
could have been easily captured at
any time, as it was on the point of
surrendering. Van Rensselaer failed,
of course, to attack and, at moonrise,
Johnson crossed the ford and escaped
to the westward with his entire force,
abandoning his cannon and 40 or 50
horses captured in the Schoharie val-
ley, which were subsequently recov-
ered by their owners. The next morn-
ing one of the enemy was killed and
nine captured by seven men and a boy
from Fort Windecker, some of them
surrendering voluntarily on account of
fatigue.

Gen. Van Rensselaer sent a mes-
sage to Fort Schuyler for a force to
proceed from that point to Onondaga
lake to destroy Johnson's boats. Capt.
Vrooman set out with 50 men, all of
whom were captured by Johnson,
through the treachery of one of Vroo-
man's party. The Oneidas and a body
of the militia moved up the river after
the retreating enemy, expecting Van
Rensselaer to follow as he promised.
Coming next morning upon the still
burning camp fires of the enemy, the
pursuing party halted, the Oneida chief
fearing an ambuscade and refusing to
proceed until the main body came up
under Van Rensselaer. After fol-
lowing leisurely forward as far as
Fort Herkimer, the Continental com-
mander abandoned his weak pursuit
and sent a messenger recalling the ad-
vance force.

The American army turned about
face and marched back down the Mo-
hawk. The garrisons returned to their
posts and the militia to what shelters

they had made or could make for
themselves and their families, within
the zones of protection afforded by
these fortifications. The Schenectady
and Albany militia continued on down
the valley to their homes under the
leadership of their thoroughly discred-
ited commander.

This American army was one of the
largest yet concentrated in the valley
and probably was only equalled in
numbers by that of Clinton which had
encamped at Canajoharie the year be-
fore. The force that took the field on
both sides at Klock's Field was the
largest which arrayed itself for battle
on any one Revolutionary field in the
Mohawk country. About the same
numbers were here engaged as at
Oriskany (2,500), but at the action of
St. Johnsville the clash took place on
one battleground while Oriskany con-
sisted of two fights several miles apart
— the bloody struggle in the ravine and
Willett's destructive sally from Fort
Schuyler. Van Rensselaer's army had
accomplished practically nothing and,
moreover, had sat supinely by while
Brown's heroic band was being scat-
tered by the enemy. And all this lost
opportunity and disgraceful record
was due to the incapacity or cowardice
of a general totally unfitted for mili-
tary command. It was left for Willett,
a year later, to show how effectively
the valley Americans, when properly
led, could beat off the Canadian in-
vaders.

Time after time, up to the day of
the Stone Arabia battle, the local
patriot soldiers had attempted to grap-
ple with their savage white and red
invaders, only to see them slip away
on each occasion, unharmed and un-
punished. Now, after the enemy had
been cornered at Klock's Field and
could have been easily destroyed or
captured, they had been practically
given their liberty by Van Rensselaer.

The valley militia had flocked to the
American standard, eager to strike a
fatal blow at their hated foes. The
patriot population and soldiers of the
Mohawk must have been indeed dis-
heartened, discouraged and disgusted

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

at this fiasco of a campaign, whicli
initially had promised complete Amer-
ican success.

Van Rensselaer's conduct was the
worst display of inefficiency or cow-
ardice seen in the valley, and perhaps
anywhere, during the Revolution. An
opportunity was lost of crushing com-
pletely the raiders and probably pre-
venting future bloodshed and loss in
the valley. Van Rensselaer was sub-
sequently courtmartialed at Albany
for his conduct but was acquitted,
largely on account of his wealth and
social position, it is said.

There was much scurrilous intrigue,
dissension, bickering and petty jeal-
ousy among certain cliques of so-call-
ed patriots. The real American Revo-
lutionary fighters were compelled to
combat these vicious forces from
within as well as the enemy. The ac-
quittal of Van Rensselaer is an evi-
dence that all Americans were not act-
uated by high-minded patriotism and
strict justice, during the war of inde-
pendence.

Had the Continental Revolutionary
forces been composed exclusively of
men like Washington and Willett the
conflict would have ended within a
year or two in complete American suc-
cess. Not only did such patriots have
to fight the early battles with raw,
undisciplined and frequently unreli-
able troops, but they had to constant-
ly combat an insidious Tory influence
among the people and the effect of
such inefficiency as that exemplified
in Van Rensselaer and men of his ilk.

At this time, and until its discon-
tinuance as an army post, the Minden
fort was known both as Fort Plain and
Fort Rensselaer, the latter being its
official title, conferred upon it prob-
ably by Van Rensselaer himself; Fort
Plain evidently being its popular name
and the one which survived until a
later date. This is treated in a sub-
sequent chapter.

In S. L. Frey's article on Fort Rens-
selaer (Fort Plain) published in the
(Fort Plain) Mohawk Valley Register
of March 6, 1912. he says: "Gen. Van
Rensselaer * * * was appointed to

the command of some of the posts in
this section in the summer of 1780, —
Fort Paris, Fort Plank, Fort Plain and
others. His headquarters were at Fort
Plain. In the fall of that year he wrote
to Gov. Clinton from Fort Plain, dat-
ing his letter 'Fort Rensselaer, Sept. 4,
1780.' This is the first time the name
appears."

Van Rensselaer evidently gave his
name to his headquarters post on his
arrival there in the summer of 1780,
which may have been in August after
the Minden raid. At the time of the
Stone Arabia battle, Col. John Harper
was in command of Fort Plain (under
Gen. Van Rensselaer, of course).

In the court martial of Gen. Van
Rensselaer the designation "Fort
Plane or Rensselaer" is frequently
used in the testimony of the witnesses.
In this evidence appears the names of
the following as having been engaged
in the valley military operations of the
time of the Stone Arabia battle: Col.
Dubois, Col. Harper, Major Lewis R.
Morris, Col. Samuel Clyde (who com-
manded a company of Tryon county
militia), Lieut. Driscoll and Col. Lewis,
in whose quarters at "Fort Plane or
Rensselaer," the commanding general
went to dine.

The number of Oneidas engaged in
the foregoing military operations is
given as 200 warriors by one author-
ity and 80 by another, the smaller
figure probably being nearer the truth.
During part, at least, of the war this
tribe lived in, about and under the
protection of Fort Hunter, their own
country being too exposed to invasion.
The Oneidas were generally loyal to
the American cause and did good ser-
vice for the patriots on several oc-
casions— notably the campaign treated
in this chapter, at Oriskany and at
West Canada creek. As previously
stated Col. John Harper was in com-
mand of these Indians, taking rank
over their native chief.

After the Stone Arabia battle, some
25 or 30 Americans were buried in an
open trench near Fort Paris. The sit-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

uation is believed to liave been a few
rods southeast of the present school-
house. John Klock drew the bodies of
Brown's men thither on a sled al-
though there was no snow on the
ground. They were buried side by-
side in the clothes in which they fell.
Some others who were slain were in-
terred elsewhere.

Col. Brown was buried in the grave-
yard near the Stone Arabia churches.
Most of the Americans killed on this
field were New England men, although
local militiamen were also engaged.
The loss of the enemy probably did
not exceed half of the 40 or 45 pa-
triots supposed to have been slain. On
the anniversary of Col. John Brown's
death in 1836, a monument was erect-
ed over his grave by his son, Henry
Brown, of Berkshire, Mass., bearing
the following inscription: "In mem-
ory of Col. John Brown, who was killed
in battle on the 19th day of October,
1780, at Palatine, in the county of
Montgomery. Age 36." This event
was made a great occasion and was
largely attended, veterans of the Stone
Arabia battle being present. It is men-
tioned in a later chapter dealing with
its period in Palatine.

It is reported that the Schoharie mi-
litia, engaged in this campaign, were
short of knapsacks and carried their
bread on poles, piercing each loaf and
then spitting it on the sticks.

After the Klock's Field battle some
of McKean's volunteers came upon
Fort Windecker, where nine of the
enemy had been taken. On one of
them being asked how he came there,
his answer was a sharp commentary
on the criminal inaction of General
Van Rensselaer. The man, who was
a valley Tory, said: "Last night, after
the battle, we crossed the river; it was
dark; we heard the words, 'lay down
your arms,' and some of us did so.
We were taken, nine of us, and march-
ed into this little fort by seven mi-
litiamen. We formed the rear of three
hundred of Johnson's Greens, who
were running promiscuously through
and over one another. I thought Gen-
eral Van Rensselaer's whole army was
upon us. Why did you not take us
prisoners yesterday, after Sir John
ran off with the Indians and left us?
We wanted to surrender."

Col. John Brown was born in San-
dersfield, Mass., in 1744. He was grad-
uated at Yale college in 1771 and
studied law. He commenced practise
at Caughnawaga (Fonda) and was
appointed King's attorney. He soon
went to Pittsfield, Mass., where he be-
came active in the patriot cause and
in 1775 went to Canada on a mission
to try to get the people there to join
the American cause. He was elected
to congress in 1775 but joined Allen
and Arnold's expedition against Ticon-
deroga. He was at Fort Chambly and
Quebec. In 1776 he was commissioned
lieutenant-colonel. In 1777 he com-
manded the expedition against Ticon-
deroga and soon after left the service
on account of his detestation of Ar-
nold. Three years before the latter
became a traitor Brown published a
hand bill in which he denounced Ar-
nold as a traitor and concluded:
"Money is this man's god, and to get
enough of it he would sacrifice his
country." This was published in Al-
bany in the winter of 1776-7, while
Arnold was quartered there. Arnold
was greatly excited over it and called
Brown a scoundrel and threatened to
kick him on sight. Brown heard of
this and the next day, by invitation,
went to dinner to which Arnold also
came. The latter was standing with
his back to the fire when Brown en-
tered the door, and they met face to
face. Brown said: "I understand, sir,
that you have said you would kick me;
I now present myself to give you an
opportunity to put your threat into ex-
ecution." Arnold made no reply.
Brown then said: "Sir, you are a dirty
scoundrel." Arnold was silent and
Brown left the room, after apologizing
to the gentlemen present for his in-
trusion. Col. Brown, after he left the
army, was occasionally in the Massa-
chusetts service. In the fall of 1780,
with many of the Berkshire militia, he
marched up the Mohawk river, his

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

force to be used for defense as re-
quired.

Brown is said to have been a man
of medium height, of fine military
bearing and with dark eyes. He gen-
erally wore spectacles. His courage
was proverbial among his men and in
the Stone Arabia action seems to have
run into recklessness, although, sol-
dier that he was, he probably figured
on holding the enemy at any cost until
Van Rensselaer's large force could
come up and, falling on the rear,
crush them completely, which could
have been readily accomplished by a
skilful and determined commander.
Col. Brown was immensely popular
with his troops — with the militiamen
from the valley as well as with the
soldiers he commanded who were from
his own state of Massachusetts.

Governor George Clinton visited Fort
Plain on at least two known occasions.
The first was during the Klock's Field
operations and the second was when
he accompanied Washington through
the Mohawk valley in 1783. Clinton
was a brother of Gen. James Clinton
and an uncle of Dewitt Clinton, later
the famous "canal Governor." He was
born in Ulster county in 1739. In 1768
he was elected to the Colonial legisla-
ture, and was a member of the Con-
tinental congress in 1775. He was ap-
pointed a brigadier in the United
States army in 1776, and during the
whole war was active in military af-
fairs in New York. In April, 1777, he
was elected governor and continued so
for eighteen years. He was president
of the convention asseml)led at Pough-
keepsie to consider the federal con-
stitution in 1788. He was again chosen
governor of the state in 1801, and in
1804. Afterward he was elected vice
president of the United States and
continued in that office until his death
in Washington in 1812, aged 73 years.

In the fall of 1780 and the spring of
1781 the fortification of Fort Plain
was strengthened by the erection of a
strong blockhouse. It was situated
about a hundred yards from the fort,
commanding the steep northern side

of the plateau on which both block-
house and fort stood. The construc-
tion was of pine timber, 8x14 inches
square, dovetailed at the ends, and
Thomas Morrel of Schenectady, father
of Judge Abram Morrel of Johnstown,
superintended its erection. It was oc-
tagonal in shape and three stories in
height, the second projecting five feet
over the first, and the third five feet
over the second, with portholes for
cannon on the first floor, and for mus-
ketry on all its surfaces; with holes in
projecting floors for small arms, so as
to fire down upon a closely approach-
ing foe. The first story is said to have
been 30 feet in diameter, the second
40 and the third 50, making it look
top heavy for a gale of wind. It
mounted several cannon for signal
guns and defense — one of which was a
twelve-pounder — on the first floor. It
stood upon a gentle elevation of sev-
eral feet. This defense was not pali-
saded, but, a ditch or dry moat several
feet deep extended around it. The
land upon which both defenses stood
was owned by Johannes Lipe during
the Revolution. It is said it was
built under the supervision of a French
engineer employed by Col. Ganse-
voort. The latter, by order of Gen.
Clinton, had repaired to Fort Plain to
take charge of a quantity of stores
destined for Fort Schuyler, just prior
to Brant's Minden raid of August 2, as
we have seen. It was probably at this
time its erection was planned. Ram-
parts of logs were thrown up around
the defenses at the time of the block--
house erection. Some little time after
this, doubts were expressed as to its
being cannon-ball proof. A trial was
made with a six-pounder placed at a
proper distance. Its ball passed en-
tirely through the blockhouse, crossed
a broad ravine and buried itself in a
hill on which the old parsonage stood,
an eighth of a mile distant. This
proved the inefflciency of the building,
and its strength was increased by lin-
ing it with heavy planks. In order to
form a protection against hot shot for
the magazine, the garrison sta-
tioned there in 1782 commenced throw-
ing up a bank of earth around the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

block-house. Rumors of peace and
quiet that then prevailed in the val-
ley, caused the work to cease. A rep-
resentation of this blockhouse consti-
tutes the seal of the village of Fort
Plain. It was as much a part of the
defensive works of Fort Plain as the
stockaded fort and was of a more
picturesque appearance and so was
chosen for use on the seal,
chosen for the seal. A slight eleva-
tion marks its site at the present day
1913).
Fort Willett was beg-un in the fall
of 1780 and finished in the spring of
1781.

There are extant few records of the
garrisons which tenanted Fort Plain,
for ten years or more, and also those
of its adjoining posts. Some have been
preserved by Simms and the gist of a
few are here given:

In the summer of 1780, Captain Put-
man's company of rangers from Fort
Plain started for Fort Herkimer. They
stopped for the night at Fort Win-
decker and Cobus Mabee of Fairfield,
was put on picket duty for the night
outside the post. About midnight the
guard saw a savage stealing up be-
hind a rail fence. He deftly slipped
his hat and coat over a stump and
dropped down behind a nearby log and
waited. The Indian came very near
and at a short distance fired at the
dummy man, drew his tomahawk and
rushed up. But before he could sink
it in the stump, Mabee shot him dead.
The garrison, half dressed, rushed to
arms and found their comrade had
bagged a remarkably large Indian. As
showing the crudity of the times, it is
said the corpse lay unburied near the
fort for some time and was made the
butt of Indian play by the boys of Fort
Windecker.

In the summer of 1780 the enemy
was reported to be in the vicinity of
Otsego lake and Capt. Putman led his
company of rangers from Fort Plain
to the lake, accompanied by a company
of militia under Maj. Coapman, a Jer-
seyman. The route was from Fort
Plain to Cherry Valley and from there
to Otsego lake. Finding no signs of

an enemy a return march was made to
Cherry Valley and from there to the
Mohawk. On the way back an argu-
ment arose as to relative physical su-
periority of the rangers or scouts and
the militia. To prove which was the
better set of men, a race was proposed
to Garlock's tavern on Bowman (Cana-
joharie) creek. Major Coapman and
Captain Putman were both heavy men
and did not last long in the race of five
or six miles, which soon started be-
tween the two rival companies. Put-
man's scouts were victorious and three
of them, John Eikler, Jacob Shew and
Isaac Quackenboss (a "lean man") dis-
tanced the militiamen and reached
Garlock's pretty well played out. The
soldiers were strung along the high-
way for miles in this run. "After the
men had all assembled at the tavern,
taken refreshments and the bill had
been footed by Major Coapman, the
party returned leisurely and in order
to Fort Plain." It is a significant com-
ment on the hardihood of the Revolu-
tionary soldiers that they should find
excitement in a five-mile run over a
rough highway carrying their guns
and packs.

Under date of April 3, 1780, Col.
Visscher writes to Col. Goshen Van
Schaick to order "some rum and am-
munition for my regiment of militia
[then stationed mostly in the Mo-
hawk valley posts from Fort Johnson
westward], being very necessary as
the men are daily scouting."

A story is told of Fort Klock, in the
present town of St. Johnsville, and
near where the battle between Brant
and Johnson's forces and Van Rens-
selaer's troops was fought. It prob-
ably relates to the time of this action
although no date is given. A grand-
father of Peter Crouse was one of the
garrison of Fort Klock. Seeing a party
of mounted English troopers passing,
the militiaman remarked that he
thought he could "hit one of those fel-
lows on horseback." Taking careful
aim he shot a British officer out of his
saddle, and his frightened horse ran
directly up to Fort Klock, where
Crouse secured him. A number of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

camp trappings were fastened to the
saddle, among which was a brass l^et-
tle. These articles became famous
heirlooms in the Grouse family.

Elias Krepp, an old bachelor, was
the miller of the grist mill erected by
Sir William Johnson, in the then Tille-
borough at the now village of Ephra-
tah. In 1780 a party of raiders burned
the mill and took Krepp to Canada.
After the war he returned and, with
George Getman, went to the ruined
mill and, from its walls, removed sev-
eral hundred dollars in gold and silver
which he had there hidden for safety.

The Sacandaga blockhouse (built
1779) was located two miles southeast
of Mayfield and was a refuge for the
few scattered families of the neigh-
borhood and to defend Johnstown
from surprise by way of the Sacan-
daga, a favorite route to the Mohawk
for Canadian invaders. Its garrison
being withdrawn, it was attacked by
seven Indians in April, 1780, and suc-
cessfully defended by one man, Wood-
worth, who, though slightly wounded,
fought them off and put out fires they
kindled. The savages fled to the forest
and were followed by Woodworth and
six militiamen on snowshoes a day or
two later. The Americans came up
with the savages and killed five of the
party, returning with their packs and
guns.

The chief national events of the year
1780 are summarized as follows: 1780,
May 12, capture of Charleston, S. C,
by British; 1780, August 16, American
army under Gates defeated at Cam-
den, S. C; 1780, Sept. 23, capture of
Major Andre of the British army by
three Continental soldiers, Paulding,
Williams and Van Wart, and subse-
quent disclosure of Arnold's treason,
following his flight from his post at
West Point on the Hudson.

CHAPTER XIX.
1781— June, Col. Willett, Appointed
Commander of Mohawk Valley Posts,
Makes Fort Plain His Headquarters
— Dreadful Tryon County Conditions
— July 9, Currytown Raid — July 10,
American Victory at Sharon — Fort
Schuyler Abandoned.

Of the conditions in the Mohawk
country at the opening of 1781, Beer's
History of Montgomery County has
the following:

"Gloomy indeed was the prospect at
this time in the Mohawk valley. Deso-
lation and destitution were on every
side. Of an abundant harvest almost
nothing remained. The Cherry Valley,
Harpersfield, and all other settlements
toward the headwaters of the Susque-
hanna, had been entirely deserted for
localities of greater safety. Some idea
of the lamentable condition of other
communities in Tryon county may be
obtained from a statement addressed
to the legislature, December 20, 1780,
by the supervisors of the county. In
that document it was estimated that
700 buildings had been burned in the
county; 613 persons had deserted to
the enemy; 354 families had abandon-
ed their dwellings; 197 lives had been
lost; 121 persons had been carried
into captivity, and hundreds of farms
lay uncultivated by reason of the
enemy.

"Nor were the terrible sufferings in-
dicated by these statistics, mitigated
by a brighter prospect. Before the
winter was past. Brant was again
hovering about with predatory bands
to destroy what little property re-
mained. Since the Oneidas had been
driven from their country, the path of
the enemy into the valley was ilmost
unobstructed. It was with difficulty
that supplies could be conveyed to
Ports Plain and Dayton without being
captured, and transportation to Fort
Schuyler was of course far more haz-
ardous. The militia had been greatly
diminished and the people dispirited
by repeated invasions, and the de-
struction of their property; and yet
what information could be obtained
indicated that another incursion

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

might be looked for to sweep perhaps
the whole extent of the valley, con-
temporaneously with a movement from
the north toward Albany. Fort
Schuyler was so much injured by
flood and fire in the spring of 1781,
that it was abandoned, the garrison
retiring to the lower posts; and all the
upper part of the valley was left open
to the savages. [The Fort Schuyler
troops went to Forts Dayton, Herki-
mer and Fort Plain.]

"Gov. Clinton was greatly pained by
the gloomy outlook and knowing that
Col. Willett was exceedingly popular
in the valley, earnestly solicited his
services in this quarter. Willett had
just been appointed to the command
of one of the two new regiments form-
ed by the consolidation of the rem-
nants of five New York regiments,
and it was with reluctance that he left
the main army for so difficult and
harassing an undertaking as the de-
fense of the Mohawk region. The
spirit of the people, at this time lower
than at any other during the long
struggle, began to revive when Col.
Willett appeared among them. It was in
June that he repaired to Tryon county
to take charge of the militia levies and
state troops that he might be able to
collect. In the letter to Gov. Clinton
making known the weakness of his
command. Col. Willett said: 'I con-
fess myself not a little disappointed in
having such a trifling force for such
extensive business as I have on my
hands; and also that nothing is done
to enable me to avail myself of the
militia. The prospect of a suffering
county hurts me. Upon my own ac-
count I am not uneasy. Everything I
can do shall be done, and more cannot
be looked for. If it is, the reflection
that I have done my duty must fix my
own tranquility.' " Willett made his
headquarters at Fort Plain, which con-
tinued to be the valley headquarters
during the rest of the war. He had
not been long at Fort Plain before his
soldierly qualities and great ability as
a commander were brought into play.
Willett came to his valley headquar-
ters in June and, in a month's time.

occurred the first raid he had to com-
bat— that led by Dockstader.

The following is largely written from
Simms's account of the Currytown in-
vasion and Sharon Springs battle:

1781, July 9, 500 Indians and Tories
entered the town of Root on one of the
raids that devastated Montgomery
county the latter years of the war.
Their commander was Capt. John
Dockstader, a Tory who had gone
from the Mohawk country to Canada.
The settlement of Currytown (named
after William Corry, the patentee of
the lands thereabout) was the first
objective of these marauders. Here a
small block-house had been erected,
near the dwelling of Henry Lewis, and
surrounded with a palisade. At about
ten in the morning the enemy entered
the settlement. Jacob Dievendorf, a
pioneer settler, was at work in the
field with his two sons, Frederick and
Jacob and a negro boy named Jacobus
Blood. The last two were captured
and Frederick, a boy of 14, ran toward
the fort but was overtaken, toma-
hawked and scalped. Mrs. Dieven-
dorf, in spite of being a fleshy woman,
made for the fort with several girl
children and half a dozen slaves and
reached it in safety, on the way break-
ing down a fence by her weight in
climbing over. Peter Bellinger, a
brother of Mrs. Dievendorf, was plow-
ing and hearing the alarm, unhitched
a plow horse and, mounting it, rode
for the Mohawk and escaped although
pursued by several Indians. Rudolf
Keller and his wife happened to be at
the fort, when the enemy appeared;
Keller, Henry Lewis and Conrad En-
ders being the only men in the block-
house at that time. Frederick Lewis and
Henry Lewis jr. were the first to
reach the fort after the invaders' ap-
pearance. Frederick Lewis fired three
successive guns to warn the settlers of
danger and several, taking the warn-
ing, escaped safely to the forest.
Philip Bellinger thus escaped but was
severely wounded and died with
friends shortly after. Rudolf Keller's
oldest son, seeing the enemy approach,
ran home and hurried the rest of the
family to the woods, the Indians en-

100

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tering the Keller house just as the
fugitives disappeared into the forest.
Jacob Tanner and his family were
among the last to reach the block-
house. On seeing the Indians coming,
Tanner fled from his house, with his
gun in one hand and a small child in
his other arm, followed by his wife
with an infant in her arms and several
children running by her side holding
onto her skirts. Several redmen with
uplifted tomahawks chased the Tan-
ner family toward the fort. Finding
that they could not overtake them, one
of the Indians fired at Tanner, the ball
passing just over the child's head he
carried and entering a picket of the
fort. The defenders fired several shots
at the savages and the fleeing family
entered the block-house safely.

The Indians plundered and burned
all the buildings in the settlement, a
dpzen or more, except the house of
David Lewis. Lewis was a Tory and,
although his house was set on fire, an
Indian chief, with whom he was ac-
quainted, gave him permission to put
it out when they were gone. Jacob
Moyer and his father, who were cut-
ting timber in the woods not far from
Yates, were found dead and scalped,
one at each end of the log. They were
killed by the party who pursued Peter
Bellinger.

The lad, Frederick Dievendorf, after
lying insensible for several hours, re-
covered and crawled toward the fort.
He was seen by his uncle, Keller,
who went out to meet him. As he ap-
proached, the lad, whose clothes were
dyed in his own blood, still bewildered,
raised his hands imploringly and be-
sought his uncle not to kill him. Kel-
ler took him up in his arms and car-
ried him to the fort. His wounds were
properly dressed and he recovered, but
was killed several years after by a
falling tree. Jacob Dievendorf senior,
fled before the Indians, on their ap-
proach and, in his flight, ran past a
prisoner named James Butterfield, and
at a little distance farther on hid him-
self under a fallen tree. His pur-
suers enquired of Butterfield what di-
rection he had taken. "That way," said
the prisoner, pointing in a different di-

rection. Although several Indians
passed by the fallen tree Dievendorf
remained undiscovered.

An old man named Putman, cap-
tured at this time, was too infirm to
keep up with the enemy and was killed
and scalped not far from his home.

The Currytown captives taken
along by the enemy were Jacob Diev-
endorf jr., the negro Jacob, Christian
and Andrew Bellinger, sons of Fred-
erick Bellinger, and a little girl named
Miller, ten or twelve years old. Chris-
tian Bellinger had been in the nine
month [militia] service. He was cap-
tpred on going to get a span of horses,
at which time he heard an alarm gun
fired at Fort Plain. The horses were
hobbled together and the Indians, with
a bark rope, had tied the hobble to a
tree in a favorable place to capture the
one who came for them, who chanced
to be young Bellinger. His brother
(Andrew) was taken so young and
kept so long — to the end of the war —
and was so pleased with Indian life,
that Christian had to go a third time
to get him to return with him. Michael
Stowitts (son of Philip G. P. Stowitts,
who was killed on the patriot side in
the Oriskany battle) was made a pris-
oner on the Stowitts farm, and is cred-
ited with having given the invaders an
exaggerated account of the strength
defending the fort, which possibly pre-
vented its capture; but it is well
known that even small defenses were
avoided by the enemy, who did not like
exposure to certain death.

On the morning of the same day of
the Currytown raid (1781, July 9) Col.
Willett sent out, from Fort Plain, Capt.
Lawrence Gros with a scouting party
of 40 men. Their mission had the
double object of scouting for the enemy
and provisions. Knowing that the set-
tlements of New Dorlach and New
Rhinebeck were inhabited mostly by
Tories and that he might get a few
beeves there, Gros led his men in that
direction. Near the former home of
one Baxter, he struck the trail of the
enemy and estimated their number
from their footprints at 500 men at
least. Gros sent two scouts to follow
the enemy and then marched his

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

101

squad to Bowman's (Canajoharie)
creek to await their report. The
scouts came upon the enemy's camp
of the night before after going about a
mile. A few Indians were seen coolc-
ing food at the fires — malting prepar-
ations, as the Americans supposed, for
the return of their comrades who had
gone to destroy Currytown. The two
rangers returned quickly to Gros and
reported their find, and the captain
dispatched John Young and another
man, both mounted, on a gallop to Fort
Plain to inform Col. Willett. The com-
mandant sent a messenger to Lieut.
Col. Vedder, at Fort Paris, with or-
ders to collect all troops possible, at
his post and elsewhere, and to make a
rapid march to the enemy's camp.
Col. Willett detailed all the garrison
of Fort Plain he could, with safety de-
tach from that post, for the field. In
addition he collected what militia he
could from the neighborhood and set
out. Passing Fort Clyde in Freys-
bush, Willett drafted into his ranks
what men could there be spared and
about midnight he joined Capt. Gros
at Bowman's creek. The American
force numbered 260 men, many of whom
were militia. Col. Willett's battalion
set out and, at daybreak, reached the
enemy's camp, which was in a cedar
swamp on the north side of the west-
ern turnpike, near the center of the
present town of Sharon and about two
miles east of Sharon Springs. This
camp was on the highest ground of
the swamp, only a few rods from the
turnpike. On the south side of the
road, a ridge of land may be seen and
still south of that a small valley. By
a roundabout march, Willett reached
this little dale and there drew up his
force in a half-circle formation. The
men were instructed to take trees or
fallen logs and not to leave them and
to reserve their fire until they had a
fair shot.

The enemy was double the number
of the patriot force and stratagem was
resorted to by the Fort Plain com-
mandant. He sent several men over
the ridge to show themselves^ fire
upon the raiders and then flee, draw-
ing the foe toward the American

ranks. This ruse completely suc-
ceeded and the entire Tory and Indian
band snatched up their weapons and
chased the American skirmishers who
fled toward Willett's ambuscade, Fred-
erick Bellinger being overtaken and
killed. The enemy was greeted with
a deadly fire from the hidden soldiers
and a fierce tree to tree fight began
which lasted for two hours until the
Tories and Indians, badly punished,
broke and fied. John Strobeck, who
was a private in Captain Gros's com-
pany and in the hottest part of the
fight, said afterwards that "the In-
dians got tired of us and made
off." Strobeck was wounded in the
hip. During the battle, from a bass-
wood stump, several shots were fired
with telling effect at the patriots.
William H. Seeber rested his rifie on
the shoulder of Henry Failing and
gave the hollow stump a centre shot,
after which fire from that quarter
ceased. About this time, it is said,
the enemy were recovering from their
first panic, learning they so greatly
outnumbered the Continental force. A
story is told that Col. Willett, seeing
the foe gaining confidence shouted in
a loud voice, "My men, stand your
ground and I'll bring up the levies
and we'll surround the damned ras-
cals!" The enemy hearing this, and
expecting to be captured or slain by
an increased American body, turned
and ran. In the pursuit Seeber and
Failing reached the stump the former
had hit and found it was hollow. See-
ing a pool of blood on the ground.
Col. Willett observed: "One that stood
behind that stump will never get back
to Canada."

The enemy, in their retreat, were
hotly pursued by the Americans, led
by Col. Willett in person and so com-
plete was the defeat of the raiders
that Willett's men captured most of
their camp equipage and plunder ob-
tained the day before in the Curry-
town raid. Most of the cattle and
horses the raiders had taken found-
their way back to that settlement.
Col. Willett continued the pursuit but
a short distance, fearing that he might
himself fall into a snare similar to

102

TlIK STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the one he had so successfully set for
the enemy. The American force re-
turned victorious to Fort Plain, imme-
diately after the battle, bearing with
them their wounded. Their loss of
five killed and about the same number
wounded was small and due to their
protected position and the surprise
they sprang on their foe.

The Indians, in their retreat from
Sharon, crossed the west creek in New
Dorlach (near the former Col. Rice
residence) and made for the Susque-
hanna. The loss of the enemy was
very severe — about 50 killed and
wounded — and Dockstader is said to
have returned to Canada (after one
other engagement) with his force
"greatly reduced." Two of the enemy
carried a wounded comrade, on a
blanket between two poles, all the way
to the Genesee valley, where he died.

Five of Willett's men were killed,
including Capt. McKean, a brave and
eflicient officer. He was taken to Van
Alstine's fortified house at Canajo-
harie, which was on the then road
from New Dorlach to Fort Plain, and
died there the following day, after
which he was buried in "soldier's
ground" at Fort Plain; which was
probably the burial plot about one
hundred yards west of that post, re-
mains of which are still to be seen.
On the completion of the blockhouse,
McKean's body was reburied on
the brink of the hill in front of this
fortification with military honors.

Among the wounded was a son of
Capt. McKean, who was shot in the
mouth. Jacob Radnour received a
bullet in his right thigh which he
carried to his grave. Like that Sir
William Johnson got at Lake George,
it gradually settled several inches and
made him very lame. Hon. Garrett
Dunckel was wounded in the head, "a
ball passing in at the right eye and
coming out back of the ear." Nicho-
las Yerdon was wounded in the right
wrist, which caused the hand to shrivel
and liecome useless. Adam Strobeck's
wound in the hip has been mentioned.
All three of the latter came from
Freysbush and Radnour, Dunckel and
Yerdon were in the Oriskany battle.

where Radnour and Yerdon were
wounded. All these wounded were
borne on litters back to Fort Plain and
all recovered.

Finding their force defeated and
having to abandon their prisoners in
the fiight, the Indians guarding them
tomahawked and scalped all except
the Bellinger boys and Butterfield.
The killed at this time included a
German named Carl Herwagen, who
had been captured by the enemy on
their return from Currytown to their
camp the previous evening.

After the battle was over Lieut. -
Col. Veeder arrived from Fort Paris
with a company of 100 men, mostly
from Stone Arabia. He buried the
Americans killed in battle and fortu-
nately found and interred the priso-
ners who were murdered and scalped
near the enemy's former camp. The
Dievendorf boy, who had been scalped,
was found alive half buried among the
dead leaves, with which he had covered
himself to keep off mosquitoes and
flies from his bloody head. One of
Veeder's men, thinking him a wounded
Indian, on account of his gory face,
leveled his gun to shoot but it was
knocked up by a fellow soldier, and
the Currytown boy's life was spared
for almost four-score years more.
Young Dievendorf and the little Mil-
ler girl, also found alive, were tenderly
taken back to Fort Plain, but the lat-
ter died on the way. Doctor Faught,
a German physician of Stone Arabia,
tended the wounds of both Jacob
Dievendorf and his brother Frederick
Dievendorf and both recovered. Jacob
Dievendorf's scalped head was five
years in healing. He became one of
the wealthiest farmers of Montgomery
county and died Oct. 8, 1859, over
seventy-eight years after his terrible
experience of being scalped and left
for dead by his red captors on the
bloody field of Sharon.

The battle of Sharon was fought, al-
most entirely, by men from the pres-
ent limits of the town of Minden — the
Fort Plain garrison, with additions
froin that of Fort Clyde, and the Min-
den militia. Some of the soldiers doubt-
less came from Forts Willett, Win-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

103

decker and Plank. The Fort Paris
company, as seen, did not get up in
time to fight. The list of the Ameri-
cans wounded at Sharon would indi-
cate that the greater part of Willett's
battalion were local men. Probably
the men of the Mohawk formed a large
percentage of the valley garrisons of
that time. There was then little for
the men of the Mohawk to do but to
guard and fight and, between times, to
till the fields which were not too ex-
posed to the enemy's ravages. A con-
siderable population must have clus-
tered in and about the principal forts
for protection.

Col. Marinus Willett, who made his
headquarters at Fort Plain for the last
three years of the war and who was
connected with so many of the valley
military operations and almost all the
patriot successes in the valley, de-
serves mention here. He was a sol-
dier of the highest qualifications, great
courage and daring, a clever and fear-
less woodsman and an intrepid fighter
in the open field. His quick, powerful,
decisive blows, such as at Johnstown
and Sharon Springs, conspired to end
the raids from Canada which had de-
vastated the valley. Marinus Willett
was born in Jamaica, Long Island, in
1740, the youngest of six sons of Ed-
ward Willett, a Queens county farmer.
In 1758 he joined the army, under
Abercrombie, as a lieutenant in Col.
Delaney's regiment. Exposure in the
wilderness caused a sickness which
confined him in Fort Stanwix until the
end of the campaign. Willett early
joined the Whigs, in the contest
against British aggression. When the
British troops in New York were or-
dered to Boston, after the skirmish at
Lexington in 1775, they attempted to
carry off a large quantity of spare
arms in addition to their own. Willett
resolved to prevent it and, although
opposed by the mayor and other
Whigs, he captured the baggage
wagons containing the weapons, etc.,
and took them back to the city. These
arms were afterwards used by the first
regiment raised by the state of New
York. He was appointed second cap-

tain of a company in McDougal's regi-
ment and accompanied Montgomery's
futile expedition against Quebec. He
commanded St. John's until 1776. He
was appointed lieutenant-colonel in
1777 and cominanded Fort Constitu-
tion on the Hudson. In May he was
ordered to Fort Stanwix, recently
named Fort Schuyler, where he did
such signal service. He was left in
command of that fort where he re-
mained until 1778, when he joined the
army under Washington and fought
with him at Monmouth. He accom-
panied Sullivan in his campaign
against the Indians in 1779. Col. Wil-
lett was actively engaged in the Mo-
hawk valley in 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783. So
he spent at least four or five years
in military service in the Mohawk val-
ley. Washington sent him to treat
with the Creek Indians in Florida in
1792 and the same year he was ap-
pointed a brigadier-general in the
army which was intended to act
against the northwestern Indians. He
declined this appointment, being op-
posed to the expedition. Col. Willett
was for some time sheriff and in 1807
was elected Mayor of New York city.
He was president of the electoral col-
lege in 1824 and died in New York
August 23, 1830, in the 91st year of
his age. A portrait of Col. Willett
hangs, among those of other former
mayors, in the City Hall in New York
and shows a face of much intelligence,
power and forceful initiative. Marinus
Willett was one of the men of iron
who made the American republic pos-
sible. There are few natural leaders
and he was one. Simms says Willett
was a "large man." He was a direct
descendant of Thomas Willett, who
was a man of great ability and influ-
ence in the early years of New York
province, and who was the first mayor
of New York city after the Dutch
rule, being appointed by Gov. Nicolls
in 1665. Col. Marinus Willett had a
natural son by a Fort Plain woman.
This son he cared for and educated
and later, when the son was a grown
man, he returned to his birthplace and
lived here and hereabouts for several
years.

104

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

The following, concerning Willett, is
taken from "New York in the Revo-
lution:"

"Captain, Major, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Colonel and Acting Brigadier Marinus
Willett was a gallant officer. He held
many commands and his promotion
was rapid. In 1775-6 he was captain
in Col. Alexander McDougal's regi-
ment, 1st N. Y. Line. On April 27, 1776,
the Provincial Congress recommended
him to the Continental Congress for
major of the same regiment. In No-
vember of the same year he was rec-
ommended for lieutenant-colonel of
the 3d Line [regiment] and in July,
1780, he was made lieutenant-colonel
commandant of the 5th regiment of
the line. In 1781 as lieutenant-colonel
he commanded a regiment of levies
[men drafted into military service]
and in 1782 was made full colonel of
still another regiment of levies. After
the death of General Nicholas Herki-
mer, Colonel Willett commanded the
Tryon County militia as acting briga-
dier-general." The regiment of levies,
which Willett commanded in 1781 and
which engaged in the Sharon and
Johnstown battles, is mentioned in a
later chapter dealing briefly with the
Tryon county troops. It numbered
1008 soldiers, was largely composed of
Mohawk river men, and probably form-
ed all or part of the valley garrisons
of the time when Fort Plain was the
military headquarters of this section.

At German Flats, 1781, were several
encounters. One of them was mark-
ed by great bravery on the part of
Captain Solomon Woodworth and a
small party of rangers which he orga-
nized. He marched from Fort Dayton
to the Royal Grant for the purpose of
observation. On the way he fell into
an Indian ambush. One of the most
desperate and bloody skirmishes of
the war hereabouts then ensued.
Woodworth and a large number of his
scouts were slain. This was the same
Woodworth who so valiantly defended
the Sacandaga blockhouse, as told in
a previous chapter. His company as-
sembled at Fort Plain only a few days
previous to the fatal action, which

took place at Fairfield. Some of his
men were recruited from soldiers of
the Fort Plain garrison whose time
was soon to expire.

In this year also occurred the heroic
defense by Christian Schell of his
blockhouse home about five miles
north of Herkimer village. Sixty
Tories and Indians under Donald Mc-
Donald, a Tory formerly of Johnstown,
attacked the place, most of the people
fleeing to Fort Dayton. Schell had
eight sons and two of them were cap-
tured in the fields while the old man
ran safely home and with his other six
sons and Mrs. Schell hade a successful
defense. They captured McDonald
wounded. The enemy drew off having
11 killed and 15 wounded. Schell and
one of his boys were killed by Indians
in his fields a little later.

Early in May, 1781, high water from
the Mohawk destroyed a quantity of
stores in Fort Schuyler. On May 12
this post was partially destroyed by
fire. The soldiers were playing ball
a little distance away and pretty much
everything was burned except the pal-
isade and the bombproof, which was
saved by throwing dirt on it. This fire
has been said to have been of incen-
diary origin having been started by a
soldier of secret Tory sentiments.
Samuel Pettit, who was then one of the
garrison, in his old age, told Simms
that the fire originated from charcoal
used to repair arms in the armory.
The post was abandoned and the
troops marched dJwn the Forts Day-
ton and Herkimer, which became now
the most advanced posts on this fron-
tier. Some of the Fort Schuyler gar-
rison are said to have been removed
to Fort Plain. After the abandonment
of Fort Schuyler the principal Mohawk
valley posts of Tryon county were, in
their order from west to east, as fol-
lows: Fort Dayton (at present Her-
kimer), Fort Herkimer (at present
German Flats), Fort Plain, Fort Paris
(at Stone Arabia), Fort Johnstown.
Fort Hunter. Fort Plain's central po-
sition probably influenced its selection
as the valley American army head-
quarters.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

105

Slmms says that, in the spring of
1781, Col. Livingston, with his regi-
ment of New York troops marched up
the Mohawk valley to Fort Plain. No
mention is made of further disposition
of the troops, however. Possibly, these
may have been part of "the reinforce-
ments lately ordered northward" re-
ferred to by Gen. Washington in his
letter of June 5, 1781, to Gov. Clinton.
Washington advocated the concentra-
tion of these troops "on the Hudson
and Mohawk rivers."

In the summer of 1781 Col. Willett
went with a scouting party from Fort
Plain to Fort Herkimer and on his re-
turn stopped at the Herkimer house.
Here then lived Capt. George Herki-
mer, brother of the deceased General,
who had succeeded to the Fall Hill
estate. At this time a small body of
Indians was seen in the woods above
the house and Mrs. Herkimer went to
the front door and stepped up on a
seat on the stoop and, with her arm
around the northwest post, she blew
an alarm for her husband who with
several slaves was hoeing corn on the
flats near the river. Col. Willett came
to the door and seeing the woman's
exposed position shouted, "Woman,
for God's sake, come in or you'll be
shot!" He seized hold of Mrs. Herki-
mer's dress and pulled her inside the
house and almost the instant she
stepped from the seat to the floor a
rifle ball entered the post — instead of
her head — leaving a hole long visible.
It is presumed that Willett's men
quickly drove off the enemy as Cap-
tain Herkimer was not harmed.

In July, 1781, a party of 12 Indians
made a foray in the Palatine district
and captured Ave persons, on the
Shults farm two miles north of the
Stone Arabia churches. Three sons
of John Shults — Henry, William and
John junior, a lad named Felder Wolfe
and a negro slave called Joseph went
to a field to mow, carrying their guns
and stacking them on the edge of the
field, skirted on one side by thick
woods. From this cover the Indians
sprang out, secured the firearms, cap-

tured the harvesters and took them
all prisoners to Canada. Upon the
mowers not returning, people from the
farm went to the field and found their
scythes, but the guns were missing.
These were the only evidences that
the harvesters had been made priso-
ners. They remained in Canada until
the end of the war.

CHAPTER XX.

1781— Oct. 24, Ross and Butler's Tory
and Indian Raid in Montgomery and
Fulton Counties — Oct. 25, American
Victory at Johnstown — Willett's Pur-
suit, Killing of Walter Butler and
Defeat of the Enemy at West Can-
ada Creek — Rejoicing in the Mohawk
Valley — Johnstown, the County Seat,
at the Time of the Hall Battle, 1781.

Small guerilla parties continued to
lurk around the frontier settlements
during the remainder of the summer
and early autumn of 1781. The vigi-
lance of Col. Willett's scouts prevented
their doing any great damage. The
Tories, however, had lost none of their
animosity against their former neigh-
bors in the Mohawk valley, and in the
late autumn of this year again took
the field.

In October, 1781, occurred the last
great raid, which took place during
the war in the limits of western Mont-
gomery or within present Montgom-
ery and Fulton counties. The invad-
ers were so severely punished by the
valley troops under Willett, that it
had a deterrent effect upon their fur-
ther enterprises of this kind, at least
in the neighborhood of Willett's head-
quarters at Fort Plain.

This last local foray was commanded
by Major Ross and Walter Butler and
consisted of 700 Tories and Indians
and British regulars. Ross was after-
ward in command of the British fort
at Oswego, when Capt. Thompson
came from Fort Plain bearing to the
enemy news of an armistice between
England and the United States. Of
this interesting journey, mention is
made in a following chapter. Oct. 24,
1781, the enemy broke in upon the Mo-
hawk settlements from the direction of

106

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the Susquehanna, at Currytown, where
they had so ravaged the country a few
months earlier. They burned no
bviildings as they did not wish their
presence yet known to the neighboring
militia. That same morning a scout-
ing party went from Fort Plain to-
wards Sharon Springs, there separat-
ing, all of them returning to their post
except Jacob Tanner and Frederick
Ottman, who set out for Currytown
where Tanner wished to visit his
family. Near Argusville they came in
touch with the enemy, who were ap-
proaching the Mohawk by the south-
west route. The two American scouts
ran down Flat creek and, throwing
away their guns and knapsacks, es-
caped and spread the alarm. At the
Putman place (Willow Basin, in the
town of Root below the Nose), they
came upon a funeral party attending
services over the remains of Frederick
Putman, who had been killed by the
enemy while hunting martin up Yates-
ville creek. Thus warned, the party
broke up and its members fled for
safety and to warn others.

The enemy in force, to the number
of 700, went from Argusville to Curry-
town, plundering houses on their way
but avoiding the little fort at that
place. From Currytown they made
for the Mohawk and there came upon
and captured the two scouts. Tanner
and Ottman, Rudolf Keller and his
wife, Michael Stowitts and Jacob
Myers, all returning from the Putman
funeral, and later took John Lewis
near the river. Mrs. Keller was left
near Yatesville (now Randall) by the
intercession of a Tory nephew. Half
a dozen other women just previously
taken were also left here, among them
Mrs. Adam Fine and a girl named
Moyer. The invaders after this did
not encumber themselves with any
more women prisoners on this raid.
Myers was an old man and, on the
forced and terrible march which fol-
lowed the Tory defeat at Johnstown,
he could not keep up with the party
and was killed and scalped.

Leaving the Yatesville neighbor-
hood. Major Ross led his party on the
south side down the Mohawk, taking

the new road recently laid over Stone
Ridge, into the present town of Glen.
On the ridge, they came at twilight to
the Wood home, and took there John
Wood captive. Here Joseph Printup,
a lieutenant of militia, was at his son's
(William L Printup) house, as were
also Jacob Frank, John Loucks and
John Van Alstyne, neighbors. Printup
had been cleaning his gun and, as he
reloaded it, said: "Now I'm ready for
the Indians." Almost at the same in-
stant the advance party was seen ap-
proaching the house. Frank and
Loucks ran for the woods, Loucks be-
ing shot down and scalped and Frank
escaping. Printup fired on the ad-
vance party. An Indian put his gun
to the patriot's breast, but a Tory
friend of Printup's, with the Indians,
struck the gun down and the Whig
lieutenant was hit in the thigh. The
Tory interfered and saved Printup's
life and then he was made a pris-
oner. Several times, during the fol-
lowing march the lieutenant was
saved from the Indians' tomahawks by
his friend of the enemy. Printup suf-
fered agonies on the way but finally
got to Johnstown, where an old Scotch
woman, Mrs. Van Sickler (probably
the wife of Johnstown's first black-
smith and also Sir William's), inter-
ceded for him and he was left at her
house. From here he returned to
Stone Ridge and was finally cured of
his wounds. At the time of his cap-
ture Van Alstyne was also made pris-
oner and he helped Printup along the
road. According to the Indian cus-
tom, had he not been able to keep up,
he would have been at once scalped
and killed.

Jacob, a brother of the former Van
Alstyne, was taken shortly after as
was Evert Van Epps. John C, a son
of Charles Van Epps, spread the
alarm on horseback down the river,
and the inhabitants fled to safety
in the woods. At Auriesville Printup
told John Van Alstyne to escape if he
could and the latter promptly ran for
liberty up the ravine. The enemy con-
tinued on to Yankee Hill, in the town
of Florida, fording the Schoharie at
its mouth. Captain Snook sent Con-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

107

rad Stein to warn the settlers here-
abouts, who mostly escaped.

On the morning of October 25, 1781,
the invading party broke camp, forded
the Mohawk, entered the town of Am-
sterdam and headed for Johnstown,
small parties of Indians meanwhile
raiding the country in every direc-
tion. Houses were burned belonging
to farmers by the name of Wart,
Henry Rury, Captain Snook, John
Stein, Samuel Pettingill, William De-
Line, Patrick Connelly, George Young
and several others in the neighbor-
hood. A man named Bowman was
killed and scalped.

The raiders crossed the Mohawk
near Stanton's Island, below Amster-
dam. Here they burned the houses of
Timothy Hunt and Nathan Skeels,
Soon after the Tory main body went
over the ford a Whig named Ben
Yates, came up on the south bank and
saw an Indian on the opposite shore.
"Discovering Yates and, doubting his
ability to harm him, he turned 'round
and slapped his buttocks in defiance.
In the next instant, a bullet, from the
rifle of Ben, struck the Indian, and the
former had only to ford the river to
get an extra gun and some plunder
made in the neighborhood."

That same morning Capt. Littel led
a scouting party from the Johnstown
fort to learn the enemy's whereabouts.
Five miles east of Johnstown they
came upon Ross's advance party.
Here Lieut. Saulkill, of the scouts, was
killed and the rest of the party fled
and later were in the ensuing battle.
At Johnstown, Hugh McMonts and
David and William Scarborough were
killed by the raiders.

As soon as the news reached Col.
Willett at Fort Plain, he started to
the rescue with what men he could
hastily collect. Marching through the
night he reached Fort Hunter the next
morning (October 25, 1781), but the
enemy had already crossed the river
and directed their course toward
Johnstown, plundering and burning
right and left. Willett's force lost
some time in fording the Mohawk
which was not easily passable at this
point, but this accomplished, the pur-

suit was vigorously prosecuted and
the enemy were overtaken at Johns-
town.

Col. Willett had but 416 men, and
his inferiority of force compelled
a resort to strategy in attacking. Ac-
cordingly Col. Rowley, of Massachu-
setts, was detached with about 60 of
his men and some of the Tryon County
militia to gain the rear of the enemy
by a circuitous march and fall upon
them, while Col. Willett attacked
them in front. The invaders were met
by Col. Willett near Johnson Hall and
the battle immediately began. It was
for a time hotly contested, but at
length the patriot militia, under Wil-
lett, suddenly gave way and fled pre-
cipitately, before their commander
could induce them to make a stand.
The enemy would have won an easy
and complete victory had not Col.
Rowley at this moment, attacked vigor-
ously upon their rear and obstinately
maintained an unequal contest. This
gave Col. Willett time to rally his men,
who again pressed forward. At night-
fall, after a severe struggle, the enemy
overcome and harassed on all sides,
fled in confusion to the woods, not
halting to encamp until they had gone
several miles. In the engagement the
Americans lost about 40; the enemy
had about the same number killed and
50 taken prisoners. This American
victory was won on the nothwest lim-
its of the present city of Johnstown
and near Johnson Hall, where a monu-
ment marks the field.

A young patriot, named William
Scarborough, was among the garrison
at the Johnstown fort at the time of
this action, left it with another sol-
dier named Crosset, to join Willett's
force. They fell in with the enemy on
the way, and Crosset, after shooting
one or two of the latter, was himself
killed. Scarborough was surrounded
and captured by a company of High-
landers under Capt. McDonald, for-
merly living near Johnstown. Scar-
borough and the Scotch officer had
been neighbors before the war and
had got into a political wrangle, which
resulted in a fight and the beating of
the Highland chief. Henceforward he

108

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

cherished a bitter hatred toward his
adversary, and finding him now in his
power, ordered him shot at once. His
men refusing the murderous office, Mc-
Donald tooli it upon himself, and cut
the prisoner to pieces with his sword.

Capt. Andrew Fink of Palatine, was
also in the Johnstown battle. During
the action near the Hall, the British
took from the Americans a field-piece,
which Col. Willett was anxious to re-
cover. He sent Capt. Fink with a
party of volunteers, to reconnoitre the
enemy and if possible, get the lost
cannon. Three of the volunteers were
Christian and Mynder Fink, brothers
of the captain, and George Stansell.
While observing the movements of the
enemy from the covert of a fallen
tree, Stansell was shot down beside
his brave leader with a bullet through
his lungs, and was borne from the
woods by Han Yost Fink. Strength-
ening his body of volunteers, Capt.
Fink again entered the forest. The
cannon was soon after recaptured and,
it being near night and the enemy
having fled, Willett drew off his men
and quartered them in the old Episco-
pal church at Johnstown, gaining en-
trance by breaking a window.

The day after the battle. Col. Wil-
lett ordered Capt. Littel to send a
"scout" (scouting party as then called)
from Fort Johnstown to follow the
enemy, discover its direction and to
report the same. Captain Littel had
been slightly wounded in the Hall bat-
tle but took with him William Laird
and Jacob Shew and set out after the
enemy. (Shew was on service in many
of the neighborhood posts. Fort Plain
included, and is responsible for much
of the information Slmms used re-
garding local events).

The enemy camped the first night
near Bennett's Corners, four miles
from the Hall, and the following day,
striking the Caroga valley, went up
that stream and went into camp for
the night (Oct. 26, 1781) half a mile
beyond the outlet of Caroga lakes.
The next day Littel's scouting party
came up and warmed themselves at
Ross's deserted camp fires. After
further observing the enemy's trail

Littel became satisfied that they would
go to Canada by way of Buck's Isl-
and. His party lodged in the woods,
near Ross's last camp, and re-
turned to Fort Johnsown next day,
from whence Peter Yost was sent on
horse, with messages to Col. Willett
at Fort Dayton, to which post he had
advanced.

Ross's party meanwhile was head-
ing for West Canada creek. The re-
treating Tories and Indians struck
the most easterly of the Jerseyfield
roads (leading to Mount's clearing),
followed it several miles and encamped
for the night on what has since been
called Butler's Ridge, in the town of
Norway (Herkimer county), half a
mile from Black creek.

Early the next morning (Oct. 26,
1781) Willett started his pursuit. He
halted at Stone Arabia, and sent for-
ward a detachment of troops to make
forced marches to Oneida lake, where
he was informed the enemy had left
their boats, for the purpose of de-
stroying them. In the meanwhile he
pushed forward with the main force to
German Flats, where he learned the
advance party had returned without
accomplishing their errand. From his
scouts of the Johnstown fort party,
he also learned that the enemy had
taken a northerly course to and along
the West Canada creek. With about
400 of his best men, he started In pur-
suit In the face of a driving snow
storm.

The route of the pursuing band of
Americans was as follows: From Fort
Dayton up West Canada creek, cross-
ing it about a mile above Fort Dayton,
going up its eastern side to Middle-
ville, from there up the Moltner
brook to the Jerseyfield road leading
to Little Falls; striking the Jersey-
field road northeast of present Fair-
field village, following it up and camp-
ing at night a mile or two from the
enemy's position.

Willett's camp was in a thick woods
on the Royal Grant. He sent out a
scouting party under Jacob Sammons,
to discover the enemj'. Sammons
found them a mile or so above and,
after reconnoiterlng their position, re-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

109

turned and reported to Col. Willett
that the enemy were well armed with
bayonets.

The American officer gave up the
plan of a night attack upon them and
continued his pursuit early the next
morning (Oct. 28, 1781), but the enemy
were as quick on foot as he. In the
afternoon he came up with a lagging
party of Indians, and a short but sharp
skirmish ensued. Some of the Indians
were killed, some taken prisoners and
others escaped. Willett kept upon the
enemy's trail along the creek, and to-
ward evening came up with the main
body at a place called Jerseyfleld, on
the northeastern side of West Canada
creek. A running fight ensued, the In-
dians became terrified, and retreated
across the stream at a ford, where
Walter Butler, their leader, tried to
rally them. In this action it is said 25
of the enemy were killed and a number
wounded. A brisk fire was kept up
across the creek by both parties for
some time. Butler, who had dismoun-
ed, left cover and took some water out
of the creek with a tin cup. He was
in the act of drinking it when he was
seen by two of the American pursuing
party — Anthony, an Indian, and Daniel
Olendorf, a man from the present town
of Minden. They both fired at once at
Butler, who fell wounded in the head.
The savage then threw off his blanket,
put his rifle on it and ran across the
stream to where Butler lay in great
pain, supporting his head on his hand.
Seeing the Indian brandishing his
tomahawk, the Tory raised his other
hand saying, "Spare me — give me
quarters!" "Me give you Sherry Val-
ley quarters" replied the red man and
struck Butler dead with his weapon,
burying it in his head. Just as the
Tory captain fell, Col. Willett came up
on the opposite side of the creek. Olen-
dorf told him where Butler lay and the
American commander together with
Andrew Gray of Stone Arabia and
John Brower, forded the stream and
came upon the scene just as Anthony
was about to take his dead victim's
scalp. Col. Lewis, the Oneida chief
with the American party here came up
also and Anthony asked permission to

scalp the fallen Tory. The red officer
asked Willett if he should permit it.
Col. Willett replied: "He belongs to
your party, Col. Lewis," whereupon
the chief gave a nod of assent and the
reeking scalp was torn off the quiver-
ing body of the man v/ho had incited
his savages to inflict death and the
same bloody mutilation on the bodies
of scores of men, women and children.
Anthony stripped Butler and re-
turned across the creek to Olendorf.
Here the savage put on the red regi-
mentals and strutted about saying:
"I be British ofser." "You a fool,"
remarked Olendorf and told the In-
dian that if he was seen in Butler's
uniform he would be instantly shot by
mistake. The savage thereupon hur-
riedly shed his victim's clothes.

Butler's body was left where it
fell, and the place was afterwards
called Butler's Ford. The pursuit was
kept up until evening, when Willett,
completely successful by entirely rout-
ing and dispersing the eneiny, stopped
and started on his return march.

The sufferings of the retreating
force of beaten Tories and Indians, on
their way to Canada, must have been
many and acute. The weather was
cold and, in their hasty flight, many of
them had cast away their blankets to
make progress more speedy. The loss
of the Americans in this pursuit was
only one man; that of the enemy is
not known. It must have been very
heavy. Colonel Willett, in his de-
spatch to Governor Clinton observed,
"The fields of Johnstown, the brooks
and rivers, the bills and mountains,
the deep and gloomy marshes through
which they had to pass, they alone can
tell; and perhaps the officers who de-
tached them on the expedition."

On account of the inclement weather
and the lack of provisions, Willett and
his force returned to Fort Dayton,
after abandoning the chase of the
badly beaten enemy. Here the people
had gathered together and prepared a
feast for the victorious American sol-
diers and their able commander. And
the occasion was also one of great re-
joicing over the death of Butler, from

110

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

whom the people of Tryon county had
suffered so much.

The news of the Johnstown and
West Canada creek victories and the
death of Butler was spread through
the valley at about the same time as
the tidings of the surrender of the
British army under Cornwallis at
Yorktown. That great event did not
give any more joy to the people along
the Mohawk than the welcome assur-
ance that the fiend Butler had been
wiped out in the vigorous pursuit by
Willett and his fighting men. Wil-
lett's return to his headquarters at
Port Plain must have been in the na-
ture of a triumphal march and he
probably was there heartily greeted by
the much tried people of the Canajo-
harie and Palatine districts.

The battle of Johnstown was fought
by the garrisons of the Fort Plain
headquarters and its adjacent posts,
by what local militia could be quickly
gathered, and probably some men
from Fort Hunter and Fort Johnson
and with the aid of the Johnstown
garrison. The picked force Willett
took up West Canada creek doubtless
included some of the scouts or militia
posted at Fort Herkimer and Fort
Dayton. So this campaign takes on a
particular local interest as, although
the battle of Johnstown and the skir-
mish at West Canada creek were
fought outside of the Canajoharie and
Palatine districts, the great majority
of the forces there engaged were from
the Fort Plain valley headquarters and
the posts within a five-mile radius of
it. This, as has been before mentioned
is true of the Sharon Springs battle
as well. So, like the greater action of
Oriskany, these Revolutionary Tryon
county conflicts are of much local in-
terest because so large a proportion of
the American soldiers engaged came
from the Canajoharie and Palatine
districts of which Fort Plain was the
center, even though the scenes of bat-
tles were outside of them.

Three of the late Revolutionary ac-
tions— Stone Arabia, St. Johnsville and
Sharon Springs, occurred within the
Canajoharie and Palatine districts and
the two former within the present lim-

its of the towns of Palatine and St.
Johnsville. The battle of Johnstown
has been stated to have been the last
action of the Revolution on record and
fittingly terminated in an American
victory.

The Mohawk Valley Democrat
(Fonda), in its issue of Feb. 27, 1913,
printed a statement of Philip Graff, a
Mohawk valley soldier who took part
in the West Canada creek skirmish
and was present at the death of Wal-
ter Butler. This document has been
in the possession of the Sammons
family for over a century. Graff's ac-
count differs somewhat from 01en-»
dorf's, but both are probably true, the
confusion of the battle preventing
both from seeing all its incidents indi-
vidually. The Graff statement follows
in its original form:

"In October 1781, I was Inlisted in
the state troops for four months and
was then stationed at fort Herkimer
in a company of Capt. Peter Van Ran-
selaer and Lent. John Spencer. Some
time in November after Col. Willett
had a battle with Major Ross at
Johnstown he arrived at Fort Herki-
mer. Our company then was ordered
to join with Col. Willett's men and
with them we crossed the river from
the south to the north side the next
morning; we were marched to the
north through the Royal Grants and
encamped in the woods, made fire;
some snow had fell that day. The
next morning by daybreak we marched
on to the enemy about one and came
with the rear of the enemy, took some
prisoners and Lieut. John Rykeman,
several of their horses with blankets
and provisions and packs on — we then
pursued the enemy on to Jersey Field
and in coming down a hill to the
creek, we received a very strong fire
from the enemy who had [crossed]
the west Canada creek, which was
returned from Willett's men with
spirit. The enemy on the west side of
the creek and Willett's men on the
east side. One of the Oneida Indians
having got near the creek saw Major
Butler look from behind a tree to
Willett's men at the east, took aim at

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

111

him and shot him tlirough his hat and
upper part of his head. Butler fell,
the enemy run, the Indian run through
the rest of the Indians and [an] ad-
vance immediately followed when In-
dian who shot Butler arrived first
having noticed particular where But-
ler fell; he was tottering up and down
in great agony, partly setting, looking
the Indian in the face when the In-
dian shot him about through the eye
brow and eye and immediately took
■ his scalp off. The Oneida Indians then
luostly got up and give tremendous
yell and war hoop, immediately striped
Butler of all his close, left him naked
laying on his face. The Indian walked
forward (the rest followed) with the
scalp in his hand; came to the guard
called out, 'I have Butler's scalp,'
struck it against a tree, 'take the
blood' [evidently addressing] Lieut.
Rykeman who was in the guard,
[and] struck it at his face [saying]
'Butler's scalp, you Bogen.' Rykeman
drew his head back and avoided the
stroke. I saw two [of] his sergeants
and little farther saw another of the
enemy shot through the body. Butler
was killed about 11 o'clock. We pur-
sued the enemy until evening and re-
turned the morning, past Butler again
in the position we left him the day
before. I believe he never was buried."

Some incidents of the West Canada
creek pursuit follow:

Soon after crossing West Canada
creek, some of Willett's men found a
little five-year-old girl beneath a fal-
len tree, crying piteously. She had
been made a prisoner and left by the
Indians in their flight. The militia-
men comforted her and took her back
to her valley home. The weather at
this time was very severe and the suf-
ferings of the enemy and their prison-
ers were intense.

A militiaman named Lodowick
Moyer, who was in the American pur-
suit, said that "ice was forming in the
creeks and, in crossing them, the sol-
diers took off their pantaloons (note
the 'pantaloons') and thought the ice
would cut their legs off." They were
gone four days on two days rations.

He said "the enemy left a wounded
Tory behind after the West Canada
creek skirmish, who had been wounded
at the Hall battle. Col. Willett sent
him back down the creek on a horse,
with someone to care for him. He
died on the way and was buried under
a fallen tree. Col. Willett was as kind
as he was brave."

Simms says: "The prisoners cap-
tured by Major Ross and party suf-
fered much on their way to Canada
from the cold, being 17 days journey-
ing to the Genesee valley, during
which time they were compelled to live
almost entirely on a stinted allowance
of horse-flesh. Some of the prisoners
wintered in the Genesee valley and
were taken to Niagara the following
March. Keller, one of the Currytown
prisoners, on arriving at Niagara was
sold, and one Countryman, a native of
the Mohawk valley and then an officer
in the British service was his pur-
chaser." He was sent successively to
Rebel Island (near Montreal), to Hal-
ifax, Nova Scotia, and finally to Bos-
ton, "where he was exchanged and left
to foot it home without money, as were
many [liberated] prisoners during the
war. They were however, welconied
to the table of every patriot on whom
they chanced to call and suffered but
little by hunger. Keller reached his
family near Fort Plain, whither they
had removed in his absence, Dec. 24,
1782. Van Epps, a fellow prisoner,
reached his home [in Glen] about 18
months after his capture and the rest
of the prisoners, taken that fall [1781],
returned when he did or at subsequent
periods, as they were confined in dif-
ferent places."

Johnstown, the scene of the forego-
ing battle, was begun by Sir William
Johnson in 1760. At the time of the
battle of Johnstown, in 1781, it con-
sisted, besides Johnson Hall, of a court
house and jail (both erected in 1772),
a stone Episcopal church (built in
1771), a few taverns and stores and a
small number of dwellings, some of
which had been built by Sir William.
After Sir John Johnson's flight to Can-

112

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ada in 1776, the patriot committee had
the stone jail converted into a fort,
further strengthening it with a pali-
sade and block-house. The Johnstown
fort, Port Johnson, Fort Hunter, Fort
Paris, Fort Plain, Fort Clyde, Fort
Plank, Fort Willett and Fort Win-
decker were the chief fortifications in
the present limits of Montgomery and
Fulton counties during the Revolu-
tion. With the addition of Forts Day-
ton and Herkimer (in present Herki-
mer county) and Fort Schuyler (aban-
doned in 1781, and in present Oneida
county) they formed the defenses of
the valley and this part of the
Revolutionary New York frontier. Six
of these nine Fulton and Montgomery
army posts were within the limits of
the present Minden and Palatine
townships.

On June 26, 1872, at Johnstown, was
held the centennial celebration of the
erection of the court house and the
jail which was the Johnstown fort of
the Revolution. Gov. Horatio Seymour
was the chief speaker. A portion of
his address follows:

The edifice and its objects were in
strange contrast with the aspect of
the country. It was pushing the forms
and rules of English jurisprudence far
into the territorities of the Indian
tribes and it was one of the first steps
taken in that march of civilization
which has now forced its way across
the continent. There is a historic in-
terest attached to all the classes of
men who met at that time [the laying
of the corner stone of the court house
in 1772]. There was the German from
the Palatinate, who had been driven
from his home by the invasion of the
French and who had been sent to this
country by the Ministry of Queen
Anne; the Hollander, who could look
with pride upon the struggles of his
country against the powers of Spain
and in defense of civil and religious
liberty; the stern Iroquois warriors,
the conquerors of one-half the original
territories of our Union, who looked
upon the ceremonies in their quiet,
watchful way. There was also a band
of Catholic Scotch Highlanders, who
had been driven away from their na-
tive hills by the harsh policy of the
British government, which sought by
such rigor to force the rule of law
upon the wild clansmen. There were
to be seen Brant and Butler and
others, whose names, to this day, recall
in this valley scenes of cruelty, rapine

and bloodshed. The presence of Sir
William Johnson, with an attendance
of British officers and soldiers gave
dignity and brilliancy to the event,
while over all, asserting the power of
the Crown, waved the broad folds of
the British flag. The aspects of those
who then met at this place not only
made a clear picture of the state of
our country, but it came at a point of
time in our history of intense interest.
All, in the mingled crowd of soldiers,
settlers and savages, felt that the fu-
ture was dark and dangerous. They
had fought side by side in the deep
forests against the French and Indian
allies; now they did not know how
soon they would meet as foes in deadly
conflict.

In the fall of 1781, Conrad Edick was
captured by a party of seven maraud-
ing Indians in the neighborhood of
Fort Plank, in the present town of
Minden. They hurried off into the
wilderness and at nightfall stopped at
an abandoned log house to stay there
for the night. The party made a fire,
as the weather was cold, and ate a
scanty supper. After this the savages
sat about on the cabin floor and dis-
cussed the poor success of their ex-
pedition, lamenting the lack of spoil
and prisoners they had secured. They
determined to hold a pow wow in the
morning, kill and scalp their prisoner
and return to the vicinity of the Mo-
hawk to secure more plunder and
prisoners if possible. Edick, unbe-
known to them, understood the Mo-
hawk dialect, and was harrowed to
thus learn his fate. When the Indians
lay down to sleep, their prisoner was
placed between two of the red men
and tied to them by cords passing over
his breast and thighs. Sleep was out
of the question for the agonized white
man, as he lay trying to figure out
some plan of escape. His restless
hands felt about the debris on the
floor and came in contact with a bit of
glass, to his great joy. Assuring him-
self that his savage bedfellows slept
soundly, he found he could reach his
bindings with his hands and cautiously
severed those which were fastened to
his chest and then the ones about his
legs. He knew the Indians had left a
large watch dog on guard outside the

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113

door and he had also noticed, on his
captive journey the preceding day, a
large hollow log in the woods nearby.
From the door he made a break for
the forest and the dog at once chased
him barking loudly. Before Edick
reached cover 100 yards away, the In-
dians woke, grasped their rifles and
pursued. As he neared the edge of
the woods they flred at the fleeing
prisoner but Edick luckily stumbled
and the volley went over his head.
Jumping up he ran among the trees
until he found the hollow log and
crawled inside. The Mohawks and
their dog made a search for their es-
caped captive but the animal proved
poor on the scent and did not discover
Edick's hiding place. The savages
sat down on the very log in which the
white man was concealed and dis-
cussed their prisoner's escape. They
decided he had climbed a tree or that
"the devil" had spirited him away. As
it was nearing morning the party re^-
solved to eat and follow their plan of
the night before to return and plunder
along the Mohawk. One Indian went
to a neighboring field and shot a sheep
which they dressed. Then the savages
built a flre against the same log in
which Edick was hidden and proceeded
to cook their mutton. The white man
suffered tortures from the heat and
smoke and stuffed parts of his cloth-
ing and some leaves into the crannies
of the log to keep the fire out. He
controlled his tortures of mind and
body and desire to cough on account
of the smoke, knowing he would be
instantly killed if discovered. When
the cooking was finished, his miseries
gradually subsided with the dying flre.
The savages, after their breakfast, left
one of their number on guard to keep
a lookout for their lost prisoner and
started on their new foray. Often dur-
ing the morning the Indian sentinel
sat or stood on Edick's log. Not hear-
ing the savage's movements for some
time, the white man ventured to creep
out of his hiding place. Not seeing
the savage, Edick ran for his life and
eventually reached Fort Plank in
safety. Conrad Edick, after this terri-

ble experience, lived to a ripe old age,
dying at Frankfort, N. Y., 1846, aged
about 80 years, which would make
him under 20 at the time of the above
exciting affair. Ittig was the original
German for the name Edick.

In the latter part of. October, 1781,
four patriots were captured in the
Sharon neighborhood by Indian ma-
rauders. Christian Myndert aban-
doned his home there in the fall of
1781, on account of the several Indian
forays in that neighborhood. He re-
turned with Lieut. Jacob Borst of Co-
bleskill, Sergeant William Kneiskern
and Jacob Kerker, all armed, to fix his
buildings for the winter. After the
work the party went to the house,
built a flre and warmed themselves,
setting their guns in a corner of the
room. Six Indians, commanded by a
valley Tory named Walrath, broke
into the room, seized the guns and
captured the entire party, carrying
them off to Canada. They were sub-
jected to such cruelties in the Indian
country that Borst died at Niagara.

Following are the principal national
occurrences of the year 1781 summar-
ized: 1781, Jan. 17, Americans under
Morgan destroy British force at Cow-
pens, S. C; 1781, March 1, Articles of
Confederation (adopted 1777) between
the thirteen states finally go into ef-
fect; 1781, March 15, indecisive battle
at Guilford Court House, S. C, be-
tween British under Tarleton and Am-
ericans under Greene; 1781, April 25,
defeat of Greene's army at Hobkirk
Hill, near Camden, S. C; 1781, Sept. 6,
Benedict Arnold, in command of a
British force, burns and plunders New
London, Conn., while his associate of-
ficer, Col. Eyre, takes Fort Griswold
and massacres half the garrison after
the surrender; 1781, Sept. 8, battle at
Eutaw Springs, S. C, with advantage
with the Americans; 1781, Oct. 19, sur-
render of the British army, under
Cornwallis, to Washington at York-
town, Va.

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CHAPTER XXI.

1782— Last of the War in the Valley-
Rebuilding and Repopulation — Tory
and Indian Raid at Fort Herkimei —
Tories — Gen. Washington at Sche-
nectady.

The following chapter deals with
the year 1782 .and 1783 as relating to
the Canajoharie and Palatine districts
and Tryon, later Montgomery county.
As there were no hostilities to speak
of in those years in this immediate
section, the valley began to rapidly
build up again. Families returned to
their burned homes. The whole sec-
tion had been razed of dwellings by
the raiding parties of the enemy but
houses and barns were now reared
and, with rumors of peace in the
air, the valley was rapidly repopu-
lated in these two years. When Wash-
ington came to Fort Plain in 1783 much
of the marks of war along the Mohawk
had vanished. In 1782, and even in
1783, small scalping parties of Indians
committed occasional murders and
depredations and in 1782 the Herki-
mer settlements were destructively
visited but the Canajoharie and Pala-
tine districts were comparatively free
of further hostilities, except in a small
way. This was largely due to the
efficient protection afforded by Col.
Willett and his garrisons.

In February, 1782, the Tryon county
court of general session indicted 41
persons for their Tory proclivities, on
the charge of "aiding, abetting, feed-
ing and comforting the enemy." Molly
Brant was one of those indicted. In
February, 1781, this court indicted 104
Tryon county Tories on this charge.
In October, 1781, 16 more were so
charged. Among the 163 persons
indicted many bore the names of Mo-
hawk valley German and Dutch pio-
neer families. Simms says, "Indeed
we may say that thus very many of
the German families of New York be-
came represented in Canada, and are
so to this day."

The Tories were not allowed to re-
turn without vigorous protests. Peter
Young of the town of Florida, living
at Young's lake (a small pond near

Schoharie creek) was an ardent
patriot. He married a Serviss girl,
whose family were Tories. At the
close of hostilities two of Young's
brothers-in-law made Mrs. Young a
visit. Young came in on them and or-
dered them back to Canada at the
point of a musket and they promptly
took up their return journey.

Christopher P. Yates wrote a letter
to Col. H. Frey dated Freyburg, March
22, 1782. He said among other things:
"We have already had three different
inroads from the enemy. The last was
at Bowman's kill, [Canajoharie creek]
from whence they took three children
of McFee's family."

1782, July 26 and 27, occurred Capt.
Crysler's last Tory invasion of the
Schoharie country at Foxescreek and
in the Cobleskill valley, which was the
final incursion in that quarter.

One of the last Indian murders of
the Revolution, within the present
limits of Fulton and Montgomery
county was that of Henry Stoner of
Fonda's Bush, later Broadalbin, in
1782. He was an old patriot and was
struck down and tomahawked in his
fields. His son, Nick Stoner, the fa-
mous trapper, attacked the Indian
murderer of his father with an andiron
in a Johnstown tavern after the war.
Strange to say young Stoner was im-
prisoned for this affray in which he
laid out several savages, but was
shortly after released from the Johns-
town jail.

In July, 1782, all the buildings on the
south side of the Mohawk in the Ger-
tnan Flats section, except Fort Herki-
mer and the Johan Jost Herkimer
house, were destroyed by a force of 600
Tories and Indians. The night before
the mill at Little Falls had been burn-
ed by the raiders. One man was killed
in attempting to escape to Fort Her-
kimer and another was caught, tor-
tured and killed near that post, the
Indians hoping his cries would draw
a party from the fort and so weaken
it that they could make a successful
attack. The garrison's hot fire kept
off the enemy. Two soldiers in the
fort were hit and killed and a number
of the invaders are presumed to have

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

115

been killed and wounded. The valley
of the Mohawk was not again visited
by any serious raid during the re-
mainder of the war. The conflict had
not entirely ceased in other quarters
but there was a general subsiding of
hostilities here. Toward the close of
1782, the British commander-in-chief
directed that no more Indian expedi-
tions be sent out, and those on foot
were called in.

The following account shows the re-
sourcefulness and reckless daring of
one, at least, of the Tories of the val-
ley: Among the Mohawk valley refu-
gees in Canada was John Helmer, a
son of Philip Helmer, who lived at
Fonda's Bush. Having returned to
that settlement he was arrested and
imprisoned at Johnstown. The sen-
tinel at the jail one day allowed Hel-
mer to take his gun in hand to look at
it, as the prisoner expressed adniira-
tJon for it. Helmer, with the weapon,
intimidated the guard and escaped
again to Canada. With charcteristic
recklessness, he returned later to re-
cruit British soldiers among his Tory
neighbors and was again captured and
jailed at Johnstown. Fortunately for
the venturesome Tory, a sister of his
had a lover among the garrison sta-
tioned at the jail, which was then also
a fort; and he not only released Hel-
mer but with another soldier set out
with him for Canada. The two desert-
ers were shot dead by a pursuing party
and Helmer, although severely wound-
ed by a bayonet thrust, escaped to the
woods. Later he was found half dead
and was returned to the jail for the
third time. His wound, having healed,
he again escaped and reached Canada
after almost incredible sufferings.
Here he remained and made his home
after the war. Among the Tory fight-
ers seem to have been many of reck-
less valor, although their most typi-
cal leader, Walter Butler, died the
death of a coward after a record un-
equalled for bloody and inhuman
crimes, showing that a craven heart
and a murderous hand go together.
The spirit animating the Tory fighters

seems to have been absolutely different
from that of the Americans. Believing
that the cause of the king was just,
they resorted to every diabolical de-
vice to murder and intimidate the
Whig population of the valley. The
more violent their crimes, however,
the harder did the provincials stand
their ground. Many of the Tories were
more savage than the Indians, as
Brant affirms and their murderous
cruelty toward the women and chil-
dren, as well as men, who were for-
merly their neighbors, almost surpass
belief. They seem to have been as
ready with the scalping knife as the
Indians and were constantly inciting
their savage allies to the utmost bar-
barities. In contrast to this attitude,
that of the Whig population of the
valley was marked. Much as the Tory
soldiers were hated, their women and
children who were left behind were
not injured or maltreated in a single
known instance, and the Tory prison-
ers taken were treated with the utmost
justice. The intense hatred of Eng-
land, which prevailed in the valley
after the Revolution, was due as
much to Tory barbarities as to the
murders and tortures perpetrated by
the Indians. American justice com-
bined with American brawn, won in
this horrible struggle against white
and red savagery, but the bitter pas-
sions engendered by this civil war
along the Mohawk endured for years
afterward.

It was the Tory methods of warfare,
particularly as shown on the frontier
of New York, that so thoroughly em-
bittered American sentiment against
England, a feeling that existed in vary-
ing degree for the greater part of a
century after the close of the Revolu-
tion. Warfare, based upon the murder
of women and children and the de-
struction and looting of property can
never stand high in the eyes of civil-
ized people. Tory and Indian mur-
ders, barbarities and scalpings com-
bined with the Revolutionary use of
hired foreign troops, such as the Hes-
sians, were the causes which tended to
divide the two great branches of the

116

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

English speaking peoples during the
greater part of the nineteenth century.

It is probable that the actions of
many of the Tryon county Tories, dur-
ing the war for liberty, were actuated
by the thought of gain. In case the
British cause had triumphed the
patriots' lands would doubtless have
been confiscated and given to the
Tories in proportion to their Revolu-
tionary "services." This would be
rendered easier by the wholesale mur-
der of the "rebel" population and it
was probably such a policy that in-
duced the fiendish methods of the Tory
invaders and their Indian allies.

There is abundant evidence that the
valley Tories were promised the
"rebels' " lands if they would fight for
King George. Sir John Johnson was
particularly lavish with these prom-
ises to his followers from the Mohawk
valley. It is said that two Tryon
county Tories, then serving under Sir
John, began an argument as to which
should have the rich lands of Lieut. -
Col. Wagner in Palatine. It ended in
a rough and tumble fight which laid
the two warriors up for several days.

It is a fitting place here to refer to
the difficulty experienced in the fore-
going Revolutionary chapters in nam-
ing, as a whole, the forces invading
the valley. They are generally spoken
of as the "enemy" or the "raiders" or
some such term, for the simple rea-
son that they cannot be referred to as
"English" or "British," because they
were composed of such vary elements,
were composed of such verying
elements. British, Tories, Indians
and Germans composed the army
imder St. Leger and under Sir
John Johnson at Stone Arabia and
St. Johnsville and in almost
every other case of battle and in-
vasion. The Americans looked upon
the British use of Indians in the con-
flict as a brutal, uncivilized proceed-
ing and England's further employment
of Hessian troops was a still further
cause of the just hatred of our coun-
tryman against Britain. True, Amer-
ica had many friends in England but
the ruling party countenanced the
savagery referred to and brought

about a deplorable state of affairs in
the after relations of the two coun-
tries.

Philip Helmer had had a love
affair with a maiden of the Pal-
after district. Johannes Bellinger,
a Whig, lived just above Fort Hess, in
the town of St. Johnsville, and had
six daughters, with one of whom the
lively Tory, Philip Helmer, was enam-
ored. He was of course forbidden the
Bellinger-place and consequently form-
ed a plot to kidnap his sweetheart,
Peggy by name. Taking a party of
Indians he set out for Bellinger's but,
evidently fearing the savages would do
harm to the family, he gave the alarm
at Fort Hess and a party of volunteers
set out to ambuscade the red men. On
their approach, one of the militia be-
came excited and shouted: "Boys,
here they are," and the Indians turned
and fled, one of their number being
shot down and killed. It Is said that
this double-turncoat, Helmer, married
Peggy Bellinger after the war.

Another account says that Tories
and Indians of the guerilla party in-
tended carrying off the Bellinger girls
as concubines for themselves, leaving
Helmer entirely out of the deal.
Learning of this he turned informer
as related.

The reunions of valley families with
members who had been captured dur-
ing the Revolution, furnish countless
dramatic incidents. One of these has
a homely smack of early farm life.
Leonard Paneter was captured in the
present town of St. Johnsville, when
he was but eight years old, and taken
to Canada. On his release from cap-
tivity a year later he was sent to
Schenectady with others who had been
taken in the valley and who were now
exchanged and free to return to their
Mohawk homes. Young Paneter's
father sent an older son down to Sche-
nectady to bring the boy back. Here
he found a number of lads drawn up
in line waiting for parents or relatives
to identify them. The boys did not
at once know each other but Leonard
upon seeing the horse that carried his

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

117

brother, remembered it at once, and
the brothers were soon reunited and
happily on their way, probably both
riding the old nag homeward.

In the summer of 1782, Gen. Wash-
ington was at Albany and was invited
to visit Schenectady by its citizens.
He accepted and rode there from Al-
bany in a carriage with Gen. Schuy-
ler on June 30, 1782. Washington
walked with his hat under his arm in
a long procession which served as his
escort a considerable distance. A pub-
lic dinner was given the commander-
in-chief at the tavern kept by Abra-
ham Clinch, who was a drummer boy
under Braddock. Being acquainted
with the adventures and sufferings of
Col. Visscher, who then lived in Sche-
nectady, Washington expressed sur-
prise that the noted Tryon county mi-
litia officer had not been invited, and
sent a messenger for him. Visscher
was a man of spirit, but somewhat re-
tiring. He was found in his barn do-
ing some work, which he left with re-
luctance. Presenting himself to
Washington the latter gave him mark-
ed attention and seated Visscher next
himself at the dinner. A number of
Tryon militia officers were there pres-
ent. Visscher, it will be remembered,
was in chief command of the neigh-
boring posts, with headquarters at
Fort Paris in Stone Arabia, in 1779,
and later was scalped by Indians but
recovered, as previously related. He
also commanded the unfortunate rear
guard at Oriskany but was himself a
man of utmost bravery.

During this Schenectady visit, it is
related, Washington was walking
about the streets of that city with a
citizen named Banker, a blacksmith.
An old negro passing took off his hat
and bowed respectfully to the general,
a salutation which Washington po-
litely returned. His Schenectady com-
panion expressed surprise, saying that
slaves were not thus noticed in the
valley. Washington replied: "I cannot
be less civil than a poor negro."
Washington on this Schenectady jour-
ney also visited Saratoga Springs and
vicinity.

CHAPTER XXII.

1783— February 9, Col. Willett's At-
tempt to Capture Fort Oswego — Pri-
vations of the American Troops on
the Return Trip.

One of the last military enterprises
(and possibly the very final one) on
which Colonel Willett set out from
Fort Plain was the attempt to capture
the important British fortification of
Oswego in February, 1783. This, as
per Washington's report to congress,
was an expedition in which a force of
500 Americans were engaged under
Willett. They were troops of the New
York line and part of a Rhode Island
regiment and were all probably then
stationed at the valley posts of which
Fort Plain was the headquarters, and
it was doubtless here that the plan-
ning and final preparations, for the
Oswego expedition, were made. Of
this little known enterprise, one of the
last of the Revolution, Simms has the
following:

"Said Moses Nelson, an American
prisoner there [at Oswego] in the
spring of 1782, when the enemy set
about rebuilding Fort Oswego, three
officers, Capt. Nellis, Lieut. James
Hare, and Ensign Robert Nellis, a son
of the captain and all of the forester
service had charge of the Indians there
employed. [These Tory Nellises may
have been of the Palatine Nellis fam-
ily.] Nelson and two other lads, also
prisoners, accompanied this party
which was conveyed in a sloop, as
waiters. About 100 persons were em-
ployed in building this fortress, which
occupied most of the season. The win-
ter following. Nelson remained at this
fort and was in it when Col. Willett
advanced with a body of troops, Feb-
ruary 9, 1783, with the intention of
taking it by surprise. The enterprise
is said to have been abortive in con-
sequence of Col. Willett's guide, who
was an Oneida Indian, having lost his
way in the night when within a few
miles of the fort. The men were illy
provided for their return — certain vic-
tory having been anticipated — and
their sufferings weie, in consequence,
very severe. This enterprise was un-

118

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

dertaken agreeable to the orders of
Gen. Washington.

"Col. Willett, possibly, may not have
known, as well as Washington did, that
Fort Oswego had been so strongly
fitted up the preceding year and con-
sequently the difficulties he had to en-
counter before its capture. Be that as
it may. the probability is, that had the
attack been made, the impossibility of
scaling the walls would have frus-
trated the design, with the loss of
many brave men. The fort was sur-
rounded by a deep moat, in which were
planted many sharp pickets. From the
lower part of the walls projected down
and outward another row of heavy
pickets. A drawbridge enabled the in-
mates to pass out and in, which was
drawn up and secured to the wall
every night. The corners [of the fort]
were built out so that mounted can-
non commanded the trenches. Two of
Willett's men, badly frozen, entered
the fort in the morning, surrendering
themselves prisoners, from whom the
garrison learned the object of the en-
terprise. The ladders prepared by
Willett to scale the walls were left on
his return, and a party of British sol-
diers went and brought them in. Said
the American prisoner Nelson, 'The
*" longest of them, when placed against
the walls inside the pickets, reached
only about two-thirds of the way to
the top.' The post was strongly gar-
risoned and it was the opinion of Nel-
son that the accident or treachery
which misled the troops was most
providential, tending to save Col. Wil-
lett from defeat and most of his men
from certain death."

John Roof of Canajoharie, who was a
private in this ill-fated expedition, told
Simms that so certain was Willett of
success that insufficient provision?
were taken along for the journey out
and back to the valley. There were
several dogs with the American troops
at the start and these were killed on
the out trip, as their barking, it was
feared, would betray the expedition to
the enemy. On the wintry trip back
the suffering and famished soldiers
were glad to dig these animals out of
the snow and eat them. The return of

the Americans to the valley forts must
have been a trip of great privation.

Gen. Washington reported the fail-
ure of Willett's attempt on Oswego to
the President of Congress, February
25, 1783, as follows:

"Sir — I am sorry to acquaint your
Excellency — for the information of
Congress — that a project which I had
formed for attacking the enemy's fort
at Oswego — as soon as the sleighing
should be good, and the ice of the
Oneida lake should have acquired suf-
ficient thickness to admit the passage
of a detachment — has miscarried. The
report of Col. Willett, to whom T had
entrusted the command of the party,
consisting of a part of the Rhode
Island regiment and the State troops
of New York — in all about 500 men —
will assign reasons for the disappoint-
ment."

Washington further said that, al-
though the expedition had failed, "I
am certain nothing depending upon
Col. Willett, to give efficiency to it,
was wanting."

CHAPTER XXIII.

1783 — April 17, Messenger From Gen.
Washington Reaches Fort Plain Giv-
ing News of End of Hostilities —
April 18, Captain Thompson's Jour-
ney to Oswego With a Flag of Truce.

In April, 1783, Captain Alexander
Thompson made a journey from "Fort
Rennselaer" (Fort Plain) to the British
post of Oswego to announce the for-
mal cessation of hostilities between
England and the United States of
America. He kept a record of his trip
and this journal was given to Simms
by Rev. Dr. Denis Wortman, long a
pastor of the Reformed church at Fort
Plain. It is headed, "Journal of a tour
from the American Garrison at Fort
Rennselaer in Canajoharie on the Mo-
hawk river, to the British Garrison oi
Oswego, as a Flagg, to announce a
cessation of hostilities on the frontiers
of New York, commenced, Friday,
April 18, 1783."

This journal recounts a wilderness
journey made within a year of a cen-
tury and a half after the trip of the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

119

Dutch traders through the Canajo-
harie district, narrated in the first
chapter. Traveling conditions along
the route seem to have been similar
even at this later date. It also details
a tour over a historic route of traffic
of which the Mohawk was an impor-
tant part, and a great highway so vital
to the Canajoharie and Palatine dis-
trict people. The details narrated give
vividly, moreover, a characteristic pic-
ture of wilderness travel and life at
that day. Thus, aside from its in-
terest in relation to the news of peace
in the Mohawk valley and its revela-
tion of the importance of old Fort
Plain, it is given due place here.

This diary belonged (in 1880) to
Mrs. Thomas Buckley of Brooklyn, a
granddaughter of its Revolutionary
author. We have seen that the name
of Fort Plain had been changed to
Fort Rensselaer, in honor of Gen. Van
Rensselaer, who had proved so lacking
during the Stone Arabia and Klock's
Field battles. This name it retained
officially to the end of the war. Simins
has summarized Captain Thompson's
record as follows:

"On the first of January of this year
(1783), Capt. Thompson, as his jour-
nal shows, was appointed to the ar-
tillery command of several posts of
the Mohawk valley, which he names as
follows: Fort Rensselaer, Fort Plank,
Fort Herkimer and Fort Daj^ton. Fort
Rensselaer — another name for Fort
Plain — being, as he says, the head-
quarters for the river forts, he thought
proper to have his own quarters near
those of the commanding officer [Col.
Willett], so as to furnish from his own
company detachments as required.

"On the 17th of April — only a little
over two months after Col. Willett's
attempt to surprise Fort Oswego — an
express arrived at Fort Plain, from
Washington's headquarters, to have an
officer sent from thence with a flag to
Oswego to announce to that garrison
(from whence many of the Indian
depredators came) a general cessation
of hostilities, and an impending peace.

"Major Andrew Fink, then in com-
mand at Fort Plain [under Col. Wil-
lett], committed this important and

hazardous mission to Capt. Thompson.
His companions were to be four, a
bombardier of his own company, a
sergeant of Willett's militia, and a
Stockbridge Indian, and his guide and
interpreter were to join him at Fort
Herkimer. All things were to be ready
for an early start on the morning of
the 18th, but, when the nature of his
mission became known along the val-
ley, many, having lost friends whose
fate was unknown, desired a chance to
send lettei-s by the flagbearer; and the
start was thus delayed until 11 o'clock,
at which hour numerous packets and
letters were collected to be sent to
friends in Canada. To some inquirers
he said on his return, his mission
proved to be one of joy, to others one
of sadness; as the veil of mysteries
had not been lifted.

"A flag of truce having been made
by securing a white cloth to the head
of a spontoon [a short spear much used
on this frontier] to be borne by the
sergeant, he left the fort with the
flag man 'n front of him and the ar-
tilleryman and the Indian in his rear.
He started with a pack horse which
he discreetly left at Fort Herkimer.
The novelty of his mission drew a
great crowd together and he was ac-
companied several miles by a caval-
cade of officers, soldiers and citizens.
He went up the river road on the
south side of the Mohawk and spoke
of passing Fort Windecker (near Min-
denville), and the Canajoharie or Up-
per Mohawk castle (now Danube,
where the Mohawks' church still
stands), arriving at Mr. Schuyler's
house at the foot of Fall Hill about 3
p. m., where he and his party were
presented ah excellent dinner. Leav-
ing Schuyler's at 4 o'clock he passed
over Fall Hill and arrived at Fort
Herkimer at sunset. At this garrison,
Capt. Thompson found David Schuy-
ler, a brother of the man he had dined
■^vith, who became his guide and inter-
preter. Eight days' rations were put
into knapsacks, and one short musket
Vv'as concealed in a blanket, with which
to kill game, if by any means their
provisions failed. On Saturday morn-
ing, April 19, in a snow storm, this

120

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

party of Ave set out on their wilder-
ness journey, still on the south side of
the Mohawk. They met several hunt-
ing parties and made their first halt
opposite 'Thompson's place, abov^e New
Germantown,' now in the town of
Schuyler. A few miles above they fell
in with a party of ten families of In-
dians on a hunting excursion and
learned how forest children lived.
Here his men, instructed by their In-
dian companion, soon erected a wig-
wam for the night in the following
manner: Two stakes, with crotches
at the upper end, were set upright
about ten feet apart, upon which they
placed a pole. Then they covered the
sides with bark resting the top against
the pole with the bottom on the
ground, so as to leave a space about
twelve feet wide. The gables were
also covered with bark; a fire was
made in the middle of the structure,
and a small hole left in the top for the
smoke to pass out, and when some
hemlock boughs had "been cut for their
beds, the wigwam was completed.
Such a structure the Indians would
construct in an incredibly short space
of time, where bark was handily ob-
tained. In such rude huts, many a
hunter or weary traveler has found a
good night's rest.

"The next morning the journey was
resumed on the Fort Stanwix road, and
at 10 o'clock he passed the ruins of
Old Fort Schuyler of the French war
(now Utica). On Capt. Thompson's
arrival at the 'Seekaquate' creek (Sad-
aquada or Saquoit creek), which en-
ters the Mohawk at Whitestown, he
found the bridge gone. Soon after
passing this stream, he said he as-
cended 'Ariska (Oriskany) Hill,' which
he observed 'was usually allowed to be
the highest piece of ground from
Schenectada to Fort Stanwix.' Says
the journal: 'I went over the ground
where Gen. Herkimer fought Sir
John Johnson; this is allowed to be one
of the most desperate engagements
that has ever been fought by the mi-
litia. I saM' a vast number of human
skulls and bones scattered through
the woods.' This was nearly five and
a half years after the battle. He halt-

ed to view the ruins of Fort Stanwix
[Fort Schuyler] and those of St. Le-
ger's works while besieging the fort
and, passing along the site of Fort
Bull, on Wood crtek, at the end of a
mile and a half, he encamped for the
night, erecting the usual Indian v/ig-
wam. The night was one of terror, as
the howling of wolves and other ani-
mals prevented much sleep, but, keep-
ing up their fires, tbe beasts were kept
at bay.

"Monday morning, on arriving at
Canada creek, a tributary of Wood
creek, two trees were felled to bridge
the stream. A mile and a half below
he left the creek and ascended Pine
Ridge, where he discovered in his path
a human footprint made by a shoe,
which indicated a white wearer. On
arriving at Fish creek, he halted to
fish but with poor success. He had
purposed to cross the creek and pur-
sue his way to Oswego on the north
side of Oneida lake, striking Oswego
river near the falls, but, learning from
his Indian (who had recently been on
a scout to the Three Rivers) that he
had seen three flat-bottomed boats
with oars, and as the ice had recently
left the lakes and thinking they might
still be there, he changed his course
for Wood creek, and striking it at a
well-known place, called 'The Scow,'
he sent the Indian and sergeant to
search for the boats and to return the
same evening. The three remaining
at 'The Scow' were soon searching
for material for a cabin, but neither
bark nor heinlock could be found and,
as it was fast growing dark, they col-
lected what logs and wood they could
to keep up a good fire which was
started. At eight o'clock it began to
rain terribly and in two or three hours
the fire was put out. As the boat
seekers did not come back that night
it became one of great anxiety and
discontent.

"The men returned after daylight
and reported a serviceable boat with-
out oars, which they had launched and
towed round the edge of the lake and
left at the royal block house, known as
Fort Royal, at the mouth of Wood
creek. No time was lost in reaching

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

121

the boat, which was found to leak
badly. They caulked it as best they
could with an old rope. From a board
oars were soon made, a pole raised
and blankets substituted for a sail' with
bark halliards. Having everything
aboard, they moved into Oneida lake
(20 miles long) with a favorable but
light wind. It was deemed prudent to
run across the lake to Nine Mile Point,
on the north shore, but before reaching
it two men were kept constantly bail-
ing. The boat was again repaired and
put afloat, sailing from point to point.
As night approached the crew landed
half way down the lake, where they
improvised a cabin with a good fire to
dry their clothes. The night was
pleasant but the howling of wild beasts
again terrific.

"On Wednesday, the 23d [of April],
a lieautiful day, the party were early
on the move, and, from the middle of
the lake, Capt. Thompson said he could
see both ends of it, and enjoyed one of
the most beautiful views imaginable.
There were several islands on the wes-
tern side of the lake covered with lofty
timber, while back of the Oneida cas-
tles the elevated ground made a very
beautiful prospect. After about eight
miles sail, he heard a gun, evidently
fired by an enemy, but, to avoid ob-
servation, he sailed along the shore
until he was opposite 'Six Mile
Islands,' as the two largest islands in
the lake, lying side by side, are called.
He went ashore, where a fire was
kindled and a good dinner enjoyed;
after which he again dropped down
the lake, passed Fort Brewerton, and
entered the Oneida river. Here he
found a rapid current in his favor and
the river, the most serpentine of any
stream he had ever been on, abound-
ing at that season with immense num-
bers of wild fowl, especially of ducks
of many varieties. He saw many
flocks of geese, but he would not allow
the old musket to be fired, lest a lurk-
ing scout might be attracted to his
position. He continued his course
down the river, sometimes on the On-
ondaga side, and at others on the Os-
wego side.

"About two miles from Three Rivers
(nearly 20 miles from Oneida lake), he
discovered a party of Indians, in three
canoes, coming up the river near the
same shore. On seeing his boat, they
gave a yell and paddled to the opposite
shore; they landed, drew their canoes
out of the water, ascended the bank
and took to trees [not having presum-
ably made out the flag of truce]. When
the flag was opposite, they hailed in
Indian and in English, which last was
answered. When assured that the
captain had a flag of truce, the Cana-
dians asked him to come ashore. Four
Indians then came out from behind
trees and beckoned him to land. He
did so and was conducted into the
woods. His men also landed and the
Indians drew his boat well on shore.
He was brought into the presence of
two white men and an old Indian, who
were seated on the ground. One of
them told Capt. Thompson his name
was Hare, a lieutenant of Butler's
rangers, and that he had just started
on an enterprise to the neighborhood
of Fort Plain. Thompson assured the
lieutenant that all hostilities had
ceased on the warpath, and that his
mission was to convej^ such intelli-
gence to the commanding oflticer at Os-
wego. When assured that all Ameri-
can scouts had been called in, after
several consultations, the war party
(consisting of one other white man
and eight Indians — all being painted
alike) concluded to take Thompson to
the fort, saying, if the measure proved
a flnosse, they had him sure. He was
conducted back to his boat, to the great
relief of his friends who were exer-
cised by thoughts of treachery, and,
with a canoe on each side of the boat
and one behind it, the flotilla passed
down the river, Lieutenant Hare tak-
ing a seat with Captain Thompson in
his boat. The party glided down past
the Three Rivers [the junction of the
Oneida and Seneca rivers with the Os-
wego], about three miles below which
they landed and encamped for the
night, constructing two cabins, one of
which Lieut. Hare, Capt. Thompson
and two Indians occupied, the remain-
der of both parties using the other.

122

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

"Early Thursday morning, Lieut
Hare sent one of his canoes to Oswego
to inform the commander of the ap-
proaching flag, and, soon after sun-
rise, they all embarked down the rap-
ids which increased as they approach-
ed the falls [of the Oswego]. On ar-
riving there they drew the boats
around the carrying place, and safely
passing the rifts below, they stopped
within a mile of Lake Ontario where
they were hailed by a sentinel on shore
to await orders from the commandant
of the fort [Major Ross]."

Thompson was conducted blindfolded
into the fort, hearing the drawbridge
over the trench let down, the chains
of which made a remarkable clatter-
ing. In the fort his blindfold was re-
moved and he delivered his message
to Major Ross, who received him very
courteously, the latter inviting him to
sit down to a dinner of cold ham, fowl,
wine, etc., while the major looked over
the papers. Major Ross had, within a
fortnight, received orders from Gov.
Haldimand of Canada to strengthen
his fortifications for American inva-
sion and was greatly surprised at the
news Thompson had brought. How-
ever, Ross pledged his honor that all
his scouts would be at once called in
and ordered the sloop Caldwell
(mounting 14 guns) to Fort Niagara to
spread the news of the armistice. The
curtains, which had been put up at the
windows looking out on Lake Ontario,
were now drawn and Major Ross
asked his guest to look out and see the
Caldwell departing on her errand of
peace. The view from the window
opening out upon the wide sunlit wat-
ers of the lake was a delightful one.
Ross regretted that he could not con-
duct the American captain about the
British works. The matter of Ameri-
can prisoners in Canada was brought
up and Major Ross said information
about them would be forthcoming as
soon as possible, in the meantime re-
ceiving a list of those made in Tryon
county cHiring the war, and the mes-
sages Thompson brought. Ross said
it was impossible for any officer to con-
trol the savages when on excursions
and :ie really believed many cruel

depredations had been committed by
them on the frontiers which were
known only to the Indians. He had
exerted himself to prevent the murder-
ing of prisoners and said "but the ut-
most effort could not prevent them
from taking the scalps of the killed."
The major said that he was very happy
that such an unnatural war was ended,
adding however that war created the
"soldier's harvest." Ross was much
upset to learn that the entire state of
New York, including Oswego and Port
Niagara, were to be ceded to the
United States in the treaty of peace
then under consideration.

Captain Thompson was introduced
to a number of British officers and
treated with great courtesy, having
however a verbal tilt with Capt.
Crawford of Johnson's Greens (who
invaded the Mohawk valley in
1778). Says the journal: "This per-
son comes under that despicable char-
acter of a loyal subject. He appeared
to be really ignorant of the cause he
fought for, and had the wickedness to
observe that he had made more
money in the British service in the
war than he would have made in the
American service in 100 years." Cap-
tain Thompson replied that "Ameri-
can officers fought for principle, not
money."

Major Ross wished to send Thomp-
son back up the Oswego river and
through Oneida lake to Wood creek in
his own barge, but the American cap-
tain said he desired to return, by land
on the west side of the Oswego to see
the country, and politely refused the
courteous offer. The Indians at Os-
wego iiad heard a rumor that "all their
lands were to be taken from them and
that they were to be driven to where
the sun went down." They had threat-
ened the life of the American messen-
ger and were in an ugly mood. Capt.
Thompson was given a list of the val-
ley American prisoners then in Can-
ada that evening. The patriot cap-
tain, for his own and his comrades'
safety, deemed it best to depart at once
and thanking Major Ross for his cour-
teous treatment, he was again blind-
folded and led outside the fort down

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

123

to his companions at the river edge at
11 o'clock on Sunday evening, April
27. He took back with him a 14-year-
old American boy who had been cap-
tured near Fort Stanwix. Here the
journal ends. Major Ross had prom-
ised to send a detachment of British
troops back with the American party
over the most dangerous part of their
journey and it is probable he did so.
The patriots, retracing their former
steps, arrived at Fort Plain once
more, having completed satisfsictorlly
their important mission. «'

After Capt. Thompson's return. Fort
Plain must have been the Mecca of
people from all over the Mohawk val-
ley who came to learn of friends or
relatives captive in Canada.

Thus from Fort Plain was spread
the first news of approaching peace
through the valley and to the British
foe on the borders of New York state.

CHAPTER XXIV.

1783 — July, Washington's Tour of Mo-
hawk Valley and Visit to Otsego
Lake — His Letters Concerning Trip
— Stops at Palatine, Fort Plain,
Cherry Valley and Canajoharie — Col.
Clyde — Final Records of Fort Plain
or Fort Rensselaer — Last Revolu-
tionary Indian Murder in Canajo-
harie District.

In the spring of 1783, an order for
the cessation of hostilities between
Great Britain and the United States
was published in the camp of the lat-
ter, but an army organization was
kept up until fall. As the initiatory
step to his contemplated tour of ob-
servation in central New York, Gen.
Washington wrote to Gen. Philip
Schuyler, from his Newburgh head-
quarters, July 15, 1783, as follows:

"Dear Sir: — I have always enter-
tained a great desire to see the north-
ern part of this State, before I return-
ed Southward. The present irksome
interval, while we are waiting for the
definite treaty, affords an opportunity
of gratifying this inclination. I have
therefore concerted with Geo. Clinton
to make a tour to reconnoitre those
places, where the most remarkable

posts were established, and the ground
which became famous by being the
theatre of action in 1777. On our re-
turn from thence, we propose to pass
across the Mohawk river, in order to
have a view of that tract of country,
which is so much celebrated for the
fertility of its soil and the beauty of
its situation. We shall set out by
water on Friday the 18th, if nothing
shall intervene to prevent our journey.

"Mr. Dimler, assistant quartermas-
ter-general, who will have the honor
of delivering this letter, precedes us to
make arrangements, and particularly
to have some light boats provided and
transported to Lake George, that we
may not be delayed upon our arrival
there.

"I pray you, my dear sir, to be so
good as to advise Mr. Dimler in what
manner to proceed in this business, to
excuse the trouble I am about to give
you, and to be persuaded that your
kind information and discretion to the
bearer will greatly increase the obliga-
tions with which I have the honor to
be, etc." — Sparks Life, 8, 425.

On July 16, Washington wrote the
president of congress as to his intend-
ed trip. He returned to his headquar-
ters at Newburgh, August 5, 1783, and
on the following day, August 6, wrote
to the congressional president a brief
record of his journey. After speaking
of his return, which was by water from
Albany to Newburgh, he says:

"My tour, having been extended as
far northward as Crown Point, and
westward to Fort Schuyler [Stanwix]
and its district, and my movements
having been pretty rapid, my horses,
which are not yet arrived, will be so
much fatigued that they will need
some days to recruit, etc." In another
letter, of the same date, he refers fur-
ther to his tour in these words: "I
was the more particularly induced by
two considerations to make the tour,
which in my letter of the 16th ultimo,
I informed Congress I had in contem-
plation, and from which I returned
last evening. The one was the inclina-
tion to see the northern and western
posts of the State, with those places
which have been the theatre of im-

12i

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

portant military transactions; the
other a desire to facilitate, as far as in
my power, the operations which will
be necessary for occupying the posts
which are ceded by the treaty of peace,
as soon as they shall be evacuated by
the British troops." He had his eye
upon Detroit as a point to be looked
after and wanted some of the well-
affected citizens of that place to pre-
serve the fortifications and buildings
there "until such time as a garrison
could be sent with provisions and
stores sufficient to take and hold pos-
session of them. The propriety of this
measure has appeared in a more forci-
ble point of light, since I have been up
the Mohawk river, and taken a view of
the situation of things in that quar-
ter. * * * I engaged at Fort Rens-
selaer [Fort Plain] a gentleman whose
name is Cassaty, formerly a resident
of Detroit and who is well recommend-
ed, to proceed without loss of time,
find out the disposition of the inhabi-
tants and make every previous in-
quiry which might be necessary for the
information of the Baron on his ar-
rival, that he should be able to make
such final arrangements, as the cir-
cumstances might appear to justify.
This seemed to be the best alternative
on failure of furnishing a garrison of
our troops, which, for many reasons,
would be infinitely the most eligible
mode, if the season and your means
would possibly admit. I have at the
same time endeavored to take the best
preparatory steps in my power for
supplying the garrisons on the western
waters by the provision contract. I can
only form my magazine at Fort Her-
kimer on the German Flats, which is
32 miles by land and almost 50 by
water from the carrying place between
the Mohawk river and Wood creek.
The route by the former is impractic-
able, in its present state, for carriages
and the other extremely difficult for
bateaux, as the river is much obstruct-
ed with fallen and floating trees, from
the long disuse of the navigation. That
nothing, however, which depends upon
me might be left undone, I have di-
rected 10 months provisions for 500
men to be laid up at Fort Herkimer,

and have ordered Col. Willett, an ac-
tive officer commanding the troops of
the state [evidently meaning state
troops in this locality], to repair the
roads, remove the obstructions in the
river, and, as far as can be effected by
the labors of the soldiers, build houses
for the reception of the provisions and
stores at the carrying place [Fort
Schuyler] in order that the whole may
be in perfect readiness to move for-
ward, so soon as the arrangement shall
be made with Gen. Haldemand [gov-
ernor general of Canada.]"

October 12, 1783, Washington wrote
to the Chevalier Chastelleux, as fol-
lows: "I have lately made a tour
through the Lakes George and Cham-
plain as far as Crown Point. Thence
returning to Schenectady, I proceeded
up the Mohawk river to Fort Schuy-
ler and crossed over to Wood creek,
which empties into the Oneida lake,
and affords the water communication
with Ontario. I then traversed the
country to the eastern branch of the
Susquehanna, and viewed the Lake
Otsego, and the portage between that
lake and the Mohawk river at Canajo-
harie. Prompted by these actual ob-
servations, I could not help taking a
more extensive view of the vast inland
navigation of these United States,
from maps and the information of
others, and could not but be struck
by the immense extent and importance
of it, and with the goodness of Provi-
dence, which has dealt its favors to us
with so profuse a hand. Would to
God we may have wisdom enough to
improve them. I shall not rest con-
tented till I have explored the western
country, and traversed those lines or a
great portion of them, which have
given bounds to a new empire. But
when it may, if it ever shall happen, I
dare not say, as my first attention
must be given to the deranged situa-
tion of my private concerns, which are
not a little injured by almost nine
years absence and a total disregard of
them, etc., etc."

Simms publishes the following ac-
count of Washington's visit to Fort
Plain, during his trip through this sec-
tion:

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

125

"The reader will observe by Wash-
ington's correspondence that he made
the northern trip by water to Crown
Point, but from Schenectady to Fort
Stanwix [Schuyler], or rather its site,
on horseback. The tour of inspection,
as shadowed in his letters, is devoid of
all incident, and whether or not he
halted at Fort Plain on his way up is
uncertain; but as he speaks last of
going to Otsego lake, it is presumed
he made no halt at the river forts going
up, nor is there any account of his vis-
iting Johnstown in his tour, but it is
reasonable to conclude that he did. He
did not mention Fort Plain, but it is
well known that he was there, giving
it another name [Fort Rensselaer].
Arriving in this vicinity [on July
30, 1783], said the late Cor-
nelius Mabie, who was thus in-
formed by his mother, he tarried over
night with Peter Wormuth, in Pala-
tine on the late Reuben Lipe farm, the
former having had an only son killed,
as elsewhere shown, near Cherry Val-
ley. It was no doubt known to many
that he had passed up the valley, who
were on the quivive to see him on his
return, and good tradition says that,
in the morning, many people had as-
sembled at Wormuth's to see world's
model man, and to satisfy their curi-
osity, he walked back and forth in
front of the house, which fronted to-
ward the river. This old stone dwell-
ing in ruins, was totally demolished
about the year 1865.

"We have seen that Washington
found Col. Willett in command at Fort
Herkimer [then together with Fort
Dayton, the most advanced frontier
posts in the state], at which time
Col. Clyde was in command of
Fort Plain. Just how many attended
his Excellency through the Mo-
hawk valley, is not satisfactor-
ily known. His correspondence only
names Gov. George Clinton. Campbell
in his 'Annals' says he was accompan-
ied by Gov. Clinton, Gen. Hand and
many other officers of the New York
line. The officers making the escort
were no doubt attended by their aids
and servants. Whether any other of-
ficer remained with Washington at

Wormuth's over night is unknown. It
is presumed, however, the house being
small and the fort only a mile off, that
his attendants all went thither, cross-
ing at Walrath's Ferry, opposite the
fort, some of whom returned in the
morning to escort the Commander-in-
Chief over the river. [July 31,
1783] A pretty incident awaited
his arrival on the eminence near
the fort. Beside the road Rev.
Mrs. Gros had paraded a bevy of
small boys to make their obeisance
(her nephew, Lawrence Gros, from
whom this fact was derived, being one
of the number). At a signal, they took
off and swung their hats, huzzaed a
welcome and made their best bow to
Washington, when the illustrious guest
gracefully lifted his chapeau and re-
turned their respectful salutation with
a cheerful 'Good morning, boys!' Im-
mediately after, he rode up to the fort
where he received a military salute
from the garrison.

"I suppose Washington to have been
welcomed within the large blockhouse,
and on introducing the guest to its
commandant. Gov. Clinton took occa-
sion to say to him: 'Gen. Washing-
ton, this is Col. Clyde, a true Whig and
a brave officer who has made great
sacrifices for his country.' The Gen-
eral answered warmly, 'Then, sir, you
should remember him in your appoint-
ments.* From this hint, Gov. Clinton
afterward appointed him sheriff of
Montgomery county. Gen. Washing-
ton dined with Col. Clyde, after
which, escorted by Maj. Thornton,
they proceeded to Cherry Valley,
where they became the guests over
night, of Col. Campbell, who had re-
turned not long before and erected a
log house. Burnt out as the Campbells
had been, their accommodations were
limited for so many people, but they
were all soldiers and had often been
on short allowance of 'bed and board'
and could rough it if necessary. Be-
sides, it is possible other families had
returned to discover their hospitality
for the night. They found themselves
very agreeably entertained, however.
Mrs. Campbell and her children had
been prisoners in Canada. In the

126

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

morning, Gov. Clinton, seeing several
of her boys, told Mrs. Campbell, 'They
would make good soldiers in time.'
She replied she 'hoped their services
would never be thus needed.' Said
Washington, 'I hope so too, madam, for
I have seen enough of war.' One of
those boys, the late Judge James S.
Campbell, was captured so young and
kept so long among the Indians that
he could only speak their language
when exchanged. After breakfast the
party were early in the saddle to visit
the outlet of Otsego lake, and see
where Gen. James Clinton dammed the
lake, just above its outlet, to float his
boats down the Susquehanna, to join
in Sullivan's expedition. The party
returned the same evening to Fort
Plain, via the portage road opened by
Clinton to Springfield from Canajo-
harie, and the next day, as believed,
they dropped down the valley."

On reaching Canajoharie, August 1,
1783, Washington and his company
were received by Col. Clyde, who had
ridden down from Fort Plain in the
morning to receive the commander's
party on its return from Otsego lake.
After the destruction of Cherry Valley
in 1778, Clyde removed his family to
the neighborhood of Schenectady,
where they remained until the close of
hostilities. One account says that, at
this time (August, 1783) they had re-
moved to the Van Alstine stone house,
in the present village of Canajoharie.
Here, it is said, Washington and his
party were the guests of Col. and Mrs.
Clyde at dinner on August 1, 1783.
Part or all of the distinguished party
probably returned to spend the night
at Fort Plain, where there were ac-
commodations.

Undoubtedly crowds of valley peo-
ple gathered at points where Wash-
ington stopped on his trip. A consider-
able assemblage of patriots must have
been present at Fort Plain on this
eventful long ago midsummer day.
There had been no severe raids in the
Canajoharie and Palatine districts in
two years. The much tried people
were rebuilding their homes, those who
had removed to safer localities were
returning to their abandoned farms.

and, with the assurance of peace, new
settlers were already coming in.

Mr. S. L. Frey gives the following
list of names of persons who probably
accompanied General Washington into
the Mohawk valley in 1783: Gov.
George Clinton, Gen. Hand, Mr. Dimler
(assistant quartermaster). Col. David
Humphries, Hodijah Baylies, Wm. S.
Smith, Jonathan Trumbull jr.. Tench
Tilghman, Richard Varick (recording
secretary), Benjamin Walker, Richard
K. Mead, David Cobb, and many of-
ficers of the New York line.

We see, from the foregoing letters of
Washington, that at Fort Plain [Fort
Rensselaer] the commandant of the
army of the United States engaged "a
gentleman whose name is Cassaty" (a
sketch of whom appears later) as his
personal emissary to Detroit to ob-
serve the conditions at that important
post on the lakes, preparatory to its
American occupation. So that it be-
comes evident that two messengers at
Washington's orders, left Fort Plain
in 1783 on momentous errands for the
British lake posts of Oswego and
Detroit.

Col. Samuel Clyde, then in command
at Fort Plain, was born in Windham,
Rockingham county. New Hampshire,
April 11, 1732, his mother's name being
Esther Rankin. He worked on his
father's farm until 20, when he went
to Cape Breton and labored as a ship
carpenter, from whence he went to
Halifax and worked on a dock for the
English navy. In 1757 he came to New
Hampshire and raised a company of
batteaux men and rangers, of which he
was appointed captain, by Gen. James
Abercromby, said company being under
Lieut. Col. John Bradstreet. This
commission was dated at Albany, May
25, 1758. He marched his company to
Albany and to Lake George where he
fought in the battle of Ticonderoga,
when Gen. Howe was slain and the
British defeated. Clyde was after-
ward at the capture of Fort Frontenac,
and, returning from the campaign to
Schenectady, in 1761, he there married
Catherine Wasson, a niece of Mat-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

127

thew Thornton, a signer of the Declar-
ation of Independence. Judge Ham-
mond, who knew Mrs. Clyde, wrote of
her in 1852 as follows: "Mrs. Clyde
was a woman of uncommon talents,
both natural and acquired, and of great
fortitude. She read much and kept up
with the literature of the day. Her
style in conversing was peculiarly ele-
gant, and at the same time easy and
unaffected. Her manner was digni-
fied and attractive. Her conversation
with young men during the Revolu-
tionary war, tended greatly to raise
their drooping spirits, and confirm
their resolution to stand by their
country to the last." Not a few noble
women of the frontiers thus made their
influence felt in the hour of need.

In 1762 Clyde settled at Cherry Val-
ley and while here he was employed,
about 1770, by Sir William Johnson to
build the church for the use of the
Indians at the upper Mohawk castle
in the present town of Danube. At
the beginning of the country's
trouble with England, a company
of volunteers was raised in Cherry
Valley and New Town Martin for
home protection, of which Samuel
Clyde was commissioned its captain
by the 40 men he was to command, and
John Campbell, jr., was chosen lieu-
tenant and James Cannon ensign.
Among the names of the volunteers
voting for these officers appears that
of James Campbell, afterwards colonel.
Capt. Clyde's commission was dated
July 13, 1775. Oct. 28, 1775, the state
provincial congress commissioned him
as a captain and adjutant of the first
(Canajoharie) regiment of Tryon coun-
ty militia. Sept. 5, 1776, he was com-
missioned second major of the first
(Canajoharie) regiment commanded by
Col. Cox.

After the battle of Oriskany and
death of Gen. Herkimer, many of the
officers of the brigade wanted Major
Clyde to consent to accept the office of
Brigadier-General, whose appointment
they would solicit. To this he would
not accede, as other officers in the
brigade outranked him and he would
not countenance an act that would
originate jealousies, however well mer-

ited the honors might be. It has ever
surprised the student that Gen. Herki-
mer's place remained unfilled during
the war. That the eye of the army was
fixed upon Major Clyde for this honor-
able promotion is not surprising when
we come to know that of all men in
that bloody ravine, no one better knew
his duty or acquitted himself more
valiantly than he. He was in the
thickest of the fight, and in a hand to
hand encounter was knocked down by
an enemy with the breech of a gun,
while in another he shot an officer
whose musket he brought from the
field to become an heirloom in his
family. Besides Gen. Herkimer slain,
and Brigade Inspector Major John
Frey a prisoner, he is believed to have
been the only man at Oriskany who
ranked as high as a captain in the
French war, which doubtless had
something to do with the confidence
reposed in him.

After Cherry Valley was destroyed
in 1778, Col. Clyde removed with his
family to the neighborhood of the Mo-
hawk where he lived six or seven
years, at least part of the time in the
Van Alstine house in the present vil-
lage of Canajoharie.

June 25, 1778, Major Clyde was ap-
pointed lieutenant-colonel of the Cana-
joharie regiment, James Campbell then
being colonel. His commission as
such passed the secretary's office with
the signature of Gov. George Clinton,
March 17, 1781. That Clyde was acting
colonel of this regiment long before the
date of his commission as lieutenant-
colonel, there is positive evidence. The
acting colonels of the Tryon county
militia in May, 1780, so recognized by
the government at Albany, were Cols,
Klock, Visscher, Clyde and Bellinger.
Col. Clyde seems to have been on duty
every summer in the bounds of his
regiment until the close of the war.
As colonel of the Canajoharie district
regiment, he would naturally have
been, as he was, on duty at its princi-
pal fortification^ Fort Plain, during
Washington's visit in 1783. On the
organization of the state government
in 1777, he was a member of the legis-
lature. March 8, 1785, true to Wash-

]28

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ington's pertinent suggestion at Fort
Plain, he was commissioned as sheriff
of Montgomery county by Gov. Clin-
ton, which office he discharged with
conscientious fidelity. It is said he
frequently swam his horse across the
Mohawk at flood tide at Canajoharie
in order to attend court at Johnstown.
Simms says: "After the destruc-
tion, in 1778, of Cherry Valley, Col.
Campbell made his home at Niska-
yuna and is not remembered to have
taken any part in military affairs [in
this vicinity] after that date." It is
doubtless true that, although he held
a lieutenant-colonel's commission,
Samuel Clyde was recognized by the
Albany military authorities and the
Tryon county militia as. colonel of the
Canajoharie regiment, which Clyde
says was "the best regiment of militia
in the county." Col. Clyde was the
leading figure in militia affairs in the
district of Canajoharie during the
years 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783.
He died in Cooperstown Nov. 30, 1790,
aged 58 years.

The Cassaty whom Washington "en-
gaged at Fort Rensselaer" as his emis-
sary to Detroit was Colonel Thomas
Cassaty. He married Nancy, a daugh-
ter of Peter Wormuth and a sister of
Lieut. Matthew Wormuth, who was
shot by Brant near Cherry Valley in
1778. Cassaty was living near or at
his father-in-law's when Washington
stopped there (in Palatine near Fort
Plain) during his valley tour of 1783.
This probably readily led to his en-
gagement in the service mentioned.
Colonel Cassaty as a boy and young
man was stationed at the British post
of Detroit, where his father, James
Cassaty, was a captain in the English
service. At the outbreak of the Revo-
lution the two Cassatys, both Ameri-
can born, sided with the colonists.
The commandant of Detroit denounced
Capt. James Cassaty and in the alter-
cation young Thomas Cassaty, then a
youth of seventeen, shot down the
British officer. He then fled into the
Michigan woods and escaped. He
lived with the Indians and there is one
report which says he was the father

of the noted chief, Tecumseh. Toward
the end of the war he appeared in the
Mohawk valley. Colonel Cassaty died
at Oriskany Falls, Oneida county, 1831,
aged about 80 years, leaving two sons
and five daughters. After the Detroit
affray, Capt. James Cassaty was con-
fined in a Canadian dungeon for three
years.

It will be noted that Washington
speaks of Fort Plain as "Fort Rensse-
laer," this being the name it bore in
the last four years of the Revolution
— it being named for the Gen. Van
Rensselaer, whose conduct was so du-
bious when there at the operations of
1780, ending at Klock's Field.

As previously shown, at the court
martial of Gen. Van Rensselaer in Al-
bany for dereliction in the campaign
of 1780, witnesses referred constantly
to "Fort Rensselaer or Fort Plain" or
vice versa.

Dr. Hough published some years ago,
an account of the Klock's Field cam-
paign and the subsequent court martial
of Gen. Van Rensselaer, shov/ing that
the latter officer writing from Fort
Plain — a name which had been estab-
lished for years — dated his papers at
"Fort Rensselaer;" anxious, as it would
seem, to have this principal fort take
his own name. It is believed that
never before that time it had ever been
called by any other name than Fort
Plain. About three years later Gen-
eral Washington was here and dated
his correspondence from "Fort Rensse-
laer," and others probably did so, un-
aware that the name of the fort had
been changed. The following docu-
ment, from the papers of the late Wil-
liam H. Seeber, shows how the vanity
of the inefficient soldier had tempor-
arily affected the name Fort Plain:

"By virtue of the appointment of his
Excellency, George Clinton, Esq., "Gov-
ernor of the State of New York,
etc., etc.

"We do hereby, in pursuance of an
act entitled an act to amend an act, en-
titled an act to accommodate the in-
habitants of the frontier, with habita-
tions and other purposes therein men-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

129

tioned, passed the 22d of March, 1781
— Grant unto William Seeber, Peter
Adams, George Garlock and Henry-
Smith, license and liberty to cut and
remove wood or timber from the lands
of John Laile (or Lail), George Kraus,
John Fatterle, John Plaikert, Wellem
(William) Fenck, George Ekar, John
Walrath and Henry Walrath, lying
contiguous to Fort Plain, being a place
of defense, for fuel, fencing and timber
for the use of the first above mentioned
persons.

"Given under our hands at Canajo-
harie, this Sth day of November, 1782.

Christian Nellis,

M. Willett,

Commissioners."

This instrument was drawn up in the
handwriting of Squire Nellis and taken
to Col. Willett to sign. In the hand-
writing of the latter and with the ink
of his signature, Willett crossed off the
word "Plain" and interlined the name
"Rensselaer." Simms says: "It seems
surprising that Col. Willett, who so
disapproved of changing the name of
Fort Stanwix, should have connived at
cnanging the name of Fort Plain; and
it can only be accounted for by pre-
suming that he was thereby courting
tlie influence of wealth and position."
The foregoing quotation does not co-
incide with Willett's sturdy character,
and it seems entirely probable that
Van Rensselaer had succeeded in hav-
ing his name adopted, at least for the
time, as the official designation of Fort
Plain.

The foregoing chapter is taken en-
tirely from Simms's "Frontiersmen of
New York," with some few additions.

S. L. Frey says, in his interesting
paper oh "Fort Rensselaer," (published
in the Mohawk Valley Register, March
G, 1912):

"In 1786, Capt. B. Hudson was in
command of the place, taking care of
the stores and other government prop-
erty. As this is the last time that
'Fort Rensselaer' is mentioned as far
as I can find, I give a copy of an old
receipt:

Fort Rancelair, Aug. 22d, 1786.
State of New York, Dr.
To John Lipe, Senior.

For Timber Building the Blockhouse,
for fire wood, Fancing & Possession of
the Place by the Troops of the United
States Under the Command of Colonel
Willet one hundred & fifty Pounds,
being the amount of my Damage.

his
John X Lipe.
mark
Witness Present

B. Hudson.

From this it will be seen that Jo-
hannes Lipe had not been paid for his
timber, used in the blockhouse six
years before. Following this receipt is
a note by Rufus Grider, the former
antiquarian of Canajoharie:

"Copy of a paper found and obtained
on the Lipe Farm, where Fort Plain
and Fort Rensselair was located. The
present owners are the descendants of
the Lipe who owned it during and
after the Revolution; the ownership
has not gone out of the family.

R. A. Grider.

June 17, 1894."

Mr. Frey continues: "We thus have
a continuous mention of 'Fort Rens-
selair,' as another name for Fort Plain,
from Sept. 4, 1780, to Aug. 22, 1786. It
would be well if the old Revolutionary
families in the vicinity v/ould examine
any paper they may have relating to
that period; possibly we might find
that 'Fort Rensselair' is mentioned
after 1786."

Thus we are able to trace the history
of the Fort Plain fortifications through
a period of ten years of important ser-
vice. Although the fort and block-
house probably stood for some years
after 1786, reference to Fort Plain,
after that date, implies the Sand Hill
settlement (which took its name from
the fort) and the later village which
thus became known during the con-
struction of the Brie canal. The name
has thus been in existence for a period
of almost 140 years. How long Fort
Plain or Fort Rensselaer continued to
exist as an army post after 1786 is not
now known.

The accounts to follow deal with
western Montgomery county and with
the settlement adjacent to Fort Plain,

130

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

known as Sand Hill and Fort Plain
and a continuation of the record of
life and events, in the old Canajoharie
and Palatine districts, until about
1825, when the old settlement ceased
to be important and the new canal
town which sprang up adopted the
honored name of Fort Plain. For con-
venience the end of the second series
of sketches is put at 1838, the date of
the severance of Montgomery and
Fulton counties. Washington's visit
to Fort Plain properly marks the end
of the first series of chapters of the
story of old Fort Plain.

The last victims of savage marau-
ders near Fort Plain were Frederick
Young and a man named House, of
the town of Minden. They were in a
field when a small party of Indians
shot them both down. Young was not
killed and when an Indian stooped
over to scalp him, the victim seized
the knife, the blade nearly severing his
fingers. Both were scalped but Young
was found alive and taken to Fort
Plank, where he died before night.
The two Minden men were shot within
sight of the fort but the Indians got
away before the patriot militia could
assemble to engage them. This event
happened in 1783, eight days after the
inhabitants had news that peace had
been ratified, and it is probable that
the savages had not heard of this.

One of the first murder trials in the
Johnstown jail after the war was that
of John Adam Hartmann, a Revolu-
tionary veteran, for killing an Indian
in 1783. They met at a tavern in the
present town of Herkimer, and the
savage excited Hartmann's abhorrence
by boasting of murders and scalpings
performed by him during the war, and
particularly by showing him a tobacco
pouch made from the skin of the hand
and part of the arm of a white child
with the finger nails remaining at-
tached. Hartmann said nothing at the
time and the two left the tavern on
their journey together, traveling a
road which led through a dense forest.
Here the savage's body was found a
year later. Hartmann was acquitted

for lack of evidence. He had been a
ranger at Fort Dayton. On a foray, in
which he killed an Indian, at almost
the same instant, he was shot and
wounded by a Tory. Hartmann was
a famous frontiersman and had many
adventures. He was a fine type of the
intrepid soldiers in the tried and true
militia of Tryon county.

Following are the principal events
of 1783 summarized: The treaty of
peace with Great Britain, acknowledg-
ing the independence of the United
States of America was signed in Paris,
Sept. 3, 1783; 1783, Nov. 25, "Evacua-
tion Day," British left New York and
an American force under Gen. Wash-
ington and Gov. Clinton entered New
York city, shortly after which Wash-
ington bade farewell to his officers at
Fraunce's Tavern in that city and left
for Mount Vernon, Md., his journey
through New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Maryland being a triumphial tour;
1783, Dec. 23, Washington resigned his
command of the American army to
congress at Annapolis, Md.

CHAPTER XXV.

1775-1783 — Review of Mohawk Valley
Events — Tryon County Militia Rec-
ords— Territory Covered in These
Sketches.

With this chapter are concluded the
first two periods of the history of
the middle Mohawk vallej' — that of
settlement and that of the war of the
Revolution. At almost every point
this story touches that of the nation.
Just as Walt Whitman sings of man
as representative of the race and the
race as the single man multiplied, so,
in this history of the Mohawk coun-
try, we see the growing nation and in
viewing the land of America we get a
diminished yet clear prospect of our
own valley. Thus while following the
current of local life and events we are
borne along as well on the great
stream of national life.

In the foregoing chapters, mention
has been made of the connection of
the men of the Mohawk country with
the decisive event of the Revolution —

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

131

the success of the Americans in the
1777 campaign against Burgoyne and
St. Leger. A further instance of the
vital interloclving of our story with
that greater one of the United States,
is evidenced in that thrilling first en-
counter of the Iroquois with the
French power, represented by Cham-
plain and his Canadian savages. The
shots fired by the Frenchman into the
ranks of the red men of the Five Na-
tions gave us these United States, for
it made the Iroquois enemies of the
French power forever. They formed
a bulwark against the encroachment
of the Gallic dominion and may, at
that early date, have prevented France
from conquering the greater part of
the thirteen colonies. Thus it is that
the shot of an arquebus, on the shore
of a lonely lake, or the death struggle
of a few hundred farmers in a forest
fight, may settle the destinies of a na-
tion. A further instance of past condi-
tions affecting the present is evidenced
in the state of New York, the boun-
daries of which were largely deter-
mined by the Dutch settlements along
the Hudson and the territory occupied
by the Five Nations. It has also been
stated that the successful example of
the Iroquois confederacy had a con-
siderable infiuence in formation of the
United States of America.

The Revolutionary record of Tryon
county, besides detailing the defense
against British invasion of the New
York frontier, is concerned with two
great national military movements of
the war — the vital defeat of Burgoyne
at Saratoga (to which the successful
defense of Fort Schuyler contributed)
and the Sullivan and Clinton invasion
of the Indian country, in connection
with which occurred the march of the
New York detachment of the Ameri-
can army along the Mohawk to Cana-
joharie, the rendezvous there, the cut-
ting of a road through the wilderness
to Otsego lake and the subsequent
unique march thither of Clinton's
force, convoying the river flatboats
with their supplies, loaded on eight-
horse wagons and oxcarts. This cam-
paign was one of the most noteworthy
of the war and the Mohawk valley side

of it seems to have never received the
full and proper presentation that it
merits.

The Tryon county infantry and mi-
litia, as has been shown, had been in-
strumental in the American success of
the Saratoga campaign. Creasy calls
this one of the fifteen decisive battles
of the world (up to 1855) and mentions
the British checks at Fort Stanwix
(Schuyler) and at Bennington as
strongly influencing the final defeat of
Burgoyne and the British army. Of
this historically great battle Lord
Mahon wrote:

"Even of those great conflicts, in
which hundreds of thousands have
been engaged and tens of thousands
have fallen, none has been more fruit-
ful of results than this surrender * *
at Saratoga."

The victory at Stillwater was de-
cisive not only in ensuring American
independence but it eventually brought
about American predominance over
the western hemisphere. To this great
world result the men of the Mohawk
contributed, at Oriskany and Fort
Schuyler, as much as if they had
fought on the fleld of Stillwater itself,
where some of them were also en-
gaged.

The record of the Mohawk country
garrisons and the militia of Tryon
county is one of the best of the Amer-
ican soldiery of the Revolution. Wher-
ever the Tryon county men met the
enemy on anything like equal footing
they had beaten them. Under good
leaders like Willett they had proved
the best of rangers and line of battle
men. The feats of scouts like Helmer
and Demuth are fit subjects for song
and legend, and the deeds of the Am-
erican man behind the gun, on the
fields of Tryon county, make stories
which will hold the interest of Mo-
hawk valley folk for centuries to come.

It would be interesting if the com-
position of the different Tryon county
garrisons, throughout the Revolution,
could be known. Future research may
show them, and it may be here men-
tioned that the history of the Mohawk
valley during the war for independ-
ence should be made the subject of a

332

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLxVIN

comprehensive work, treating the mat-
ter in complete form. It furnishes as
interesting material as that of any
region of similar extent within the
limits of the original thirteen colonies.

Occasional glimpses have been
caught, in the foregoing chapters of
the garrisons and the commanders
of the army posts of present western
Montgomery county — Fort Plain, Fort
Paris, Fort Windecker, Fort Willett,
Fort Plank, Fort Clyde. We know
from the frequent recurrence of the
names of families then resident along
the Mohawk, in the accounts of the
Revolutionary movements of the Tryon
county American forces, that the
patriot army in the Mohawk country
was always largely composed of local
men. They are frequently spoken of
as militia but their years of service
made them as efficient as regulars, and
they were such in every sense espec-
ially during the latter years of the war.

We have records of Tryon county
men who were engaged in many of the
military movements hereabouts during
the Revolution. There were undoubt-
edly scores who fought at Oriskany
who took part in all of the later con-
flicts. This was especially true of the
Palatine and Canajoharie district men,
as their territory was the scene of most
of the important events after Oriskany.
We have one record of a Canajoharie
district man who took part in the first
and last Revolutionary military move-
ments in the Mohawk valley. This
was John Roof jr., who fought at
Oriskany in 1777 and went with Wil-
lett on the expedition to Fort Oswego
in 1783. He was probably in military
service, in the intervening years and
there were scores like him. At the
end of hostilities, about 1782, these
Tryon county soldiers entered upon
the reclamation of their farm lands
and the rebuilding of their homes as
vigorously as they had opposed the
motley savages employed by England
to ravage their country during the six
years from 1777 to 1782.

That the valley Revolutionary sol-
diers of Tryon county were men of the
greatest physical hardihood is plainly
evident. Proof of this Is seen in the

many instances of their long marches
over rough ground and, at the end of
these "hikes," frequently the infantry
went into battle. In 1780, Van Rens-
selaer's army, from the neighborhood
of Albany, marched to Keator's rift at
Sprakers, a distance of over fifty miles,
and at the close of their second day
in Montgomery county, after marching
over ten miles more, went into action
at Klock's Field. On this day, from the
time they left their camping ground
in the town of Florida, they covered
thirty miles and fought a battle as
well. On the evening of the day of
the appearance of Ross and Butler and
their raiders (Oct. 24, 1781), Colonel
Willett and his four hundred fighters,
from Fort Plain and the neighboring
posts, marched through the night to
Fort Hunter (a distance of twenty
miles), reaching there the next morn-
ing, October 25. After a strenuous
time crossing the Mohawk, the Ameri-
cans made a further journey of nine or
ten miles, when they went into action
and won the victory of Johnstown.
They had tramped thirty miles and
won a hard victory in a night and a
day. After a day's rest, the troops
continued the pursuit of the beaten
enemy to Jerseyfield on West Canada
creek, where they killed Butler and
many of his band and scattered Ross's
force completely. On their return to
Fort Dayton, they had covered over 60
miles of ground under winter condi-
tions, suffering great hardships, and
had performed this feat in four days
on two days rations. The Fort Plain
soldiers in this campaign, covered
150 miles from their start until the
time they returned to their barracks.
The great physical vigor of the men of
the Mohawk country is also shown in
the amusing incident of the footrace
between a company of scouts and a
company of infantry, on the Freysbush
road, while on the march back to Fort
Plain. It is to be regretted that con-
ditions which produced such men of
iron in the valley could not have con-
tinued to give us men of equal vigor.
Besides this evidence of the gener-
ally fine physical condition of the val-
ley Americans, the previous chapters

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

133

have given abundant proof of the in-
dividual military valor and physical
prowess of men like Herkimer, Clyde,
Dillenbeck, Willett, Stockwell, Gardi-
nier, Helmer, Demuth, Grouse, Vols,
Woodworth, and a host of others.

Some years ago the state of New
York pu))lished part of its Revolu-
tionary records in a volume entitled
"New York in the Revolution." This
is a roster of the regular troops and
militia raised in New York during the
war of independence and includes the
Tryon county militia. Many of the
names are misspelled but this roll of
the local militia forms a record of
the families settled in the country of
the Mohawks at the time of the Revo-
lution. Regarding the Tryon county
list. State Historian James A. Holden,
says: "I am doubtful as to how many
of the inen served in more than one
regiment or capacity. The names are
apt to be doubled, as the terms of en-
rollment were very lax and a man
might be on more than one regiment
roll at a time, as I am informed. How-
ever the number given is approximate
and can be so stated in your work."
In the publication referred to the en-
rolled men's names are given. No date
is attached to any of the lists. Below
is summarized the numbers of each
organization together with its officers,
from the county of Tryon:

Tryon County Brigade of Militia:

First Regiment (Canajoharie dis-
trict). Officers: Colonel, Samuel
Campbell; colonel, Ebenezer Cox
(killed at Oriskany) ; lieutenant-col-
onel, Samuel Clyde; major, Abraham
Gopeman; major, Peter S. Dygert; ad-
jutant, Jacob Seeber; quartermaster,
John Pickard; surgeon, Adam Frank;
surgeon, David Younglove. Summary:
Staff, 9; line, 38; men, 552; total, 599.
Col. Clyde was acting colonel after
1778.

Second Regiment (Palatine district).
Officers: Colonel, Jacob Klock; lieu-
tenant-colonel, Peter Wagner; major,
Christian William Fox; major, Chris-
topher Pox; adjutant, Samuel Gray;
adjutant, Andrew Irvin; quartermas-
ter, Jacob Eacker; surgeon, Johann

Georg Vach. Summary: Staff, 8;
line, 43; men, 615; total, 666.

Third Regiment (Mohawk district).
Officers: Colonel, Frederick Visscher
(Fisher); lieutenant-colonel, Volkert
Veeder; major, John Bluen (Bliven?);
major, John Nukerk; adjutant, Peter
Conyn; adjutant, John G. Lansing jr.;
adjutant, Gideon Marlatt; quarter-
master, Abraham Van Horn; quarter-
master, Simon Veeder; surgeon, John
George Folke (Vach?); surgeon, Wil-
liam Petry. Summary: Staff, 12; line,
62; men, 651; total, 725.

Fourth Regiment (German Flats and
Kingsland). Officers: Colonel, Peter
Bellinger; adjutant, George Demuth;
quartermaster, Peter Bellinger. Sum-
mary: Staff, 3; line, 20; men, 415;
tntal, 438. The foregoing list of staff
officers for this fourth regiment is, of
course, incomplete.

Fifth Regiment (Schoharie valley?).
There is no list of men given. John
Harper was colonel.

Battalion (company?) Minute Men.
Officers: Colonel, Samuel Campbell;
captain, Francis Utt; lieutenant, Adam
Lipe; lieutenant, Jacob Matthias; en-
sign, William Suber (Seeber?). Sum-
mary: Staff, 1; line, 4; men, 60; total,
65. Col. Campbell removed to Niska-
yuna, below Schenectady, in 1779 and
had no share in Tryon county military
matters after that date.

Battalion Rangers (Scouts), First
Company: Captain, John Winn; lieu-
tenant, Lawrence Gros; lieutenant,
Peter Schremling. Second company:
Captain, Christian Getman; lieuten-
ant, James Billington; lieutenant,
Jacob Sammans (Sammons?). Third
company: Captain, John Kasselman;
lieutenant, John Einpie; ensign, George
Gittman (Getman). Summary: Of-
ficers, 9; men, 155; total, 164.

Associated "exempts." Captain,
Jelles Fonda; lieutenant, Zephaniah
Batchellor; lieutenant, Abraham Gar-
rason; ensign, Samson Sammon

(Sampson Sammons); ensign,

Lawrance. Summary: Line, 5; men,
159; total, 164. These were invalids
or men beyond the age of military ser-
vice (then about 60 years) who were
organized for defense, while the ac-

134

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tive men were absent on military duty.
They could be called upon in case of
great emergency.

The total of the Tryon county mi-
litia foots up 2,830 men. This does
not include the fifth regiment which
evidently came from the Schoharie
valley and of which there are no
records in "New York in the Revolu-
tion." This is not a chronicle of the
Schoharie valley (a separate region),
but only of the land of the Mohawk
or the central Mohawk river section,
and the Schoharie valley is only treat-
ed where it passes through present
Montgomery county or where it affects
this story.

In 1781 Colonel Willett was in com-
mand of a regiment of "levies" at Fort
Plain as aforementioned. These were
men drafted into service, and included
many men from the settlers along the
Mohawk. A list of these levies is
given in "New York in the Revolu-
tion," which is here summarized as
follows: Officers: Colonel, Marinus
Willett; lieutenant colonel, John Mc-
Kinstry; major, Andrew Fink (major
of brigade) ; major, Lyman Hitchcock
(muster master) ; major, Josiah
Throop; major, Elias Van Bunscho-
ten; adjutant, Jelles A. Fonda; adju-
tant, Pliny Moore; quartermaster,
John Fondey (Fonda) ; quartermaster,
Matthew Trotter; quartermaster, Ja-
cob Winney; paymaster, Abraham
Ten Eyck; surgeon, Calvin Delano;
surgeon. William Petry; surgeon's
mate, George Faugh; surgeon's mate,
Moses Willard; chaplain, John Daniel
Gros (pastor of the Canajoharie dis-
trict Reformed Dutch church at Fort
Plain). Summary: Staff, 17; line, 75;
men, 916; total, 1,008. These men
were probably distributed among the
principal valley posts and acted in
conjunction with the Tryon county
militia. This regiment may have
done duty in the valley a large part of
the last three years of the war. On
page 68 of "New York in the Revolu-
tion" is recorded a regiment of
"levies" of which Col. John Harper
was commandant. On page 77 is
given another of which Col. Lewis Du-
bois was in command. The Revolu-

tionary records are frequently frag-
mentary and incomplete and, as be-
fore stated, there is no date given with
each roll so that it is impossible to
tell at just what period of the war the
different bodies listed were engaged.
It may be that they include all the
men enrolled in each militia organiza-
tion throughout the war, or even all
the men liable for military duty in
each district.

In consideration of all the Revolu-
tionary history in the chapters fore-
going it must be rememljered that the
events recorded all occurred in the
great county of Tryon, of which Johns-
town was the civic center and Fort
Plain the military headquarters, dur-
ing the last four years of the war —
1780, 1781, 1782, 1783.

It will be noted that all the Mo-
hawk valley military actions, with the
exception of Oriskany and West Can-
ada creek, occurred within a fifteen-
mile radius of Fort Plain, and this is
the region especially considered in all
the chapters of this work, comprising
as it did the Mohawk river sections
of the Canajoharie and Palatine dis-
tricts of Tryon, later Montgomery
county.

This historJ^ also, in full detail,
covers the middle valley countrj' oc-
cupied by the Mohawks, during the
greater part of the historical period
and in which their settlements were
located exclusively during the last
century of their valley tribal exist-
ence. Here much Indian life was cen-
tered, all of which is of great interest
to the student of Indian lore and
which would fill a considerable volume.
At Indian Hill, on a branch of the Ots-
quago south of Fort Plain, are found
some of the earliest Ilidian remains in
eastern New York. This interesting
spot is considered in a later chapter
on the town of Minden. The Mohawk
valley, from the Schoharie river to Fall
Hill, seems to have been the home of
the Mohawks from the earliest histor-
ical times. However, the seats of their
castles and villages were frequently
changed within this territory. The
river section between Fall Hill and the
Noses has been called Canajoharie by

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

135

the Mohawks, evidently from the ear-
liest times.

Their later chief villages, as shown in
the foregoing chapters, were at Fort
Hunter and Indian Castle. This river
country occupied by the Mohawks is
here treated in detail historically as
well as the Canajoharie and Palatine
districts. So that "The Story of Old
Fort Plain," is, in truth, a history of
old Tryon and Montgomery county, of
the country of the Mohawk Iroquois
(from the time of its discovery) which
is also the middle Mohawk valley, of
the Canajoharie and Palatine dis-
tricts and the five western towns of
present Montgomery county, as well
as the "Story of Old Fort Plain." It
Is all of these because the stories of
them are so interwoven that it is bet-
ter to here present the whole fabric to
the view of the reader than it is to
tear it apart and attempt to show the
different threads separately.

In a general way, also, the history of
the valley, within a radius of fifty
miles of Fort Plain, is treated during
the first three periods of its history
(from 1616 to 1838). This enables the
reader to gain a clearer idea of the
life and events of the smaller area
aforementioned, which is considered
in great detail and from every view-
point.

The foregoing chapters offer an op-
portunity of close acquaintance with
many actively connected with the
thrilling events of the Revolution and
with the life of the times. It is prob-
able that mention has been made in
this work, of the majority of families
or heads of families in the Canajo-
harie and Palatine districts. The be-
ginnings of human things are extra-
ordnarily interesting to human beings
and, in the chapters dealing with the
first three periods of the history of
the country of the Mohawks, we see
the individuals themselves, who make
up the local communities and live
again with them their lives of peace
or war on the hills and in the vales of
this fair northland country.

The growing population makes it
impossible to consider individuals, in
this local record, after the end of the

third period of Montgomery history
(1838) and, after that date, the valley
hereabouts is treated historically and
in a general way without reference to
people individually, except where the
mention of names is absolutely nec-
essary to the continuity of the story.

The succeeding chapters cover the
third and fourth periods of the history
of the country of the Mohawks, in its
relation to the old Canajoharie and
Palatine districts, whose river sec-
tions are now largely comprised with-
in the present limits of the five west-
ern towns of Montgomery county.
Here we see a similar linking to-
gether of local with national history in
the matter of the valley's highways
and waterways. The Mohawk route to
the west, by its natural formation, was
and is probably the most important in
the eastern states. It was largely
through it that the tide of westward
emigration flowed and through it east
traded with the west from the earliest
times. Its highways and great rail-
roads follow the old Indian trails and
the Barge canal, in its eastern sec-
tion, covers largely the exact route
from the Hudson to the Great Lakes,
followed by the Indian canoe and the
Mohawk flatboat. The Erie and the
subsequent railroads, made the na-
tion, the state, the metropolis and the
valley great, populous and rich
in material things, as it is today. On
the completion of the Erie canal, the
trade and traffic it brought, to and
through New York, raised it from a
secondary to a first position among
the states and its metropolis quickly
became the largest city in the western
hemisphere.

Rich in material things our valley is
indeed today, according to modern
ideas, albeit it is poorer far in its
natural resources than it was when
the Dutch made their first settlements
in its eastern part two centuries and
a half ago. It is for the men of today
and of the future to conserve the
natural wealth remaining and to bring
back, as much as possible, that which
has been lost and wasted — particularly
the health-giving and soil-preserving
forest.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

(SECOND SERIES 1784-1838)

CHAPTER I.

1784-1838— Mohawk Valley After the
Revolution — Constructive Period —
Montgomery County and its Divis-
ions— Towns and Their Changes.

The Revolutionary struggle had
well-nigh destroyed the one-time
prosperous farming community along
the Mohawk and in its adjacent terri-
tory. This section had been more
harried, l)y the enemy and their red
allies, than any other part of the thir-
teen colonies. Raid after raid had
swept down from Canada over the fair
valley, luirning, plundering, and mur-
dering. Stoutly had the sturdy peo-
ple fought back their dreadful foe.
The savage enemy had been again and
again beaten back from the Mohawk,
but the bloody contest had left the
population greatly depleted and the
farm land in ruin and rapidly going
back to the wilderness from which it
had been wrestqd. Those of faint
heart and of Tory leanings had fled
the country and the patriot families
who were left were often sadly broken.
Numbers of defenseless women and
little children had been struck down
In- the savage tomahawk and the
bones of the men of Tryon county
whitened the fields where battle and
skirmish had been bitterly' fought.
The bravery of the women, and even
the children, of the patriot families,
amid the bloody scenes of the Revolu-
tion, had been remarkable in the ex-
treme. Terrific as had been the mur-
derous destruction, along the Mo-
hawk, yet a wonderful rejuvenesence
and rapid growth were to follow. The
years ensuing were ones of great
development of the farmlands, in-
crease of population and steps, for the
furtherance of transportation and

commerce, whii'li were e\eiiluall.N to
make the Mohawk valley one of the
greatest arteries of trade and traHie
in the entire world.

Toward the close of the war, Col.
Willott sent to Gen. Washington a
lengthy statement of the condition of
affairs in Tryon county, from which it
appears that, whereas at the opening
of the struggle the enrolled militia of
the county numl)ered not less than
2,500, there were then n')t more than
SCO men liable to bear arms, and not
more than 1,200 who could be taxed
or assessed for the raising of men for
the public service. To account for so
large a reduction of the Tryon people,
it was estimated that, of the number
l>y which the population had been de-
creased, one-third had been killed or
made prisoners; one-third had gone
over to the enemy; and one-third for
the time being, had abandoned the
country. Beers's history says:

"The suffering of the unfortunate
inhabitants of the Mohawk valley were
the measure of delight, with which
they had hailed the return of peace.
The dispersed population returned to
the Ijlackened ruins of their former
habitations, rebuilt their houses and
again brought their farms under cul-
tivation. With astounding audacity,
the Tories now began to sneak back
again and claim peace and property
among those whom they had impover-
ished and bereaved. It was not to be
expected that this would be tolerated.
The outraged feelings of the commun-
ity found the following expression at
a meeting of the principal inhabi-
tants of the Mohawk district. May 9,
1783:

"Taking into consideration the pe-
culiar circumstances of this county
relating to its situation, and the num-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

137

bers that joined the enemy from
among us, whose brutal barbarities in
their frequent visits to their old neigh-
bors are too shocking to humanity to
relate:

"They have murdered the peaceful
husbandmen, and his lovely boys
about him unarmed and defenceless
in the field. They have, with ma-
licious pleasure, butchered the aged
and infirm; they have wantonly
sported with the lives of helpless
women and children, numbers they
have scalped alive, shut them up in
their houses and burnt them to death.
Several children, by the vigilance of
their friends, have been snatched
from flaming buildings; and though
tomahawked and scal^ied, are still liv-
ing among us; they have made more
than 300 widows and above 2,000 or-
phans in this county; they have killed
thousands of cattle and horses that
rotted in the field; they have burnt
more than two million bushels of
grain, many hundreds of buildings,
and vast stores of forage; and now
these merciless fiends are creeping in
among us again to claim the privilege
of fellow-citizens, and demand a res-
titution of their forfeited estates; but
can they leave their infernal tempers
Ijehind them and be safe or peacealile
neighbors? Or can the disconsolate
widow and the bereaved mother recon-
cile her tender feelings to a free and
cheerful neighborhood with those who
so inhumanly made her such? Im-
possible! It is contrary to nature, the
first principle of which is self-preser-
vation. It is contrary to the law of
nations, especially that nation which
for numberless reasons, we should be
thought to pattern after. *****
It is contrary to the eternal rule of
reason and rectitude. If Britain em-
ployed them, let Britain pay them. We
will not; therefore, 'Resolved, unani-
mously, that all those who have gone
off to the enemy or have been ban-
ished by any law of this state, or
those, who we shall find, tarried as
spies or tools of the enemy, and en-
couraged and harbored those who went
away, shall not live in this district on
any pretence whatever; and as for
those who have washed their faces
from Indian paint and their hands
from the innocent blood of our dear
ones, and have returned, either openly
or covertly, we hereby warn them to
leave this district before the 20th of
June next, or they may expect to feel
the just resentment of an injured and
determined people.

" 'We likewise, unanimously desire
our brethren in the other districts in
the county to join with us to instruct
our representatives not to consent to
the repealing any laws made for the
safety of the state against treason, or

.confiscation of traitors' estates, or to
passing any new acts for the return
or restitution of Tories.'

" 'By order of the meeting.
" 'Josiah Thorp, Chairman.' "

Notwithstanding these sentiments
of the Whigs, numbers of Tories did
return and settle among their old
neighbors. The Mohawk lands, which
were considerable before the war, were
confiscated and the tribe were granted
homes in Canada, as has been stated in
the sketch of Brant.

During the revolution, the English
governor, in honor of whom Tryon
county was named, rendered the title
odious by a series of infamous acts
in the service of the Crown, and the
New York legislature, on the 2d of
April, 1784, voted that the county
should be called Montgomery, in
honor of Gen. Richard Montgomery,
who fell in the attack on Quebec,
early in the war. At the beginning of
the Revolution, the population of the
county was estimated at 10,000. At
the close of the war it had probably
been reduced to almost one-third of
that number, but so inviting were the
fertile lands of the county, that in
three years after the return of peace
(1786) it had a population of 15,000.
Doubtless many of these were people
who had deserted their valley homes
at the beginning of hostilities and who
now returned to settle again among
their patriot neighbors who had borne
the brunt of the struggle, and who had
so nobly furthered the cause of Am-
erican rule. By 1800 the population
of present Montgomery county can
safely be estimated at 10,000, almost
entirely settled on the farms.

The boundaries of the several coun-
ties in the state were more minutely
defined, March 7, 1788, and Montgom-
ery was declared to contain all that
part of the state bounded east by the
counties of Ulster, Albany, Washing-
ton and Clinton and south by the state
of Pennsylvania. What had been dis-
tricts in Tryon county were, with the
exception of Old England, made towns
in Montgomery county, the Mohawk
district forming two towns, Caugh-
nawaga north of the river and Mo-

138

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

hawk south of it. The Palatine and
Canajoharie districts were organized
as towns, retaining those names. Thus
after an existence of sixteen years,
principally during the Revolutionary
period, the old Tryon districts experi-
enced their first change.

The presence of the warlike Mo-
hawks and their use as allies on the
frontier, had saved the valley savages
their lands until about the year 1700.
Notice has been made of the Dutch,
German and British immigration after
that date into the Mohawk valley.
With the virtual breaking down of the
Iroquois confederacy on account of
the Revolution, their wide lands were
thrown open for settlement and, after
1783, another and greater tide of im-
migration set in along the Mohawk.

The war had made people of other
states and of other sections of New
York familiar with Tryon county.
Sullivan and Clinton's campaign, in
the Iroquois country, had particularly
revealed the fertility of the western
part of the state, and a tide of emi-
gration thither set in at the close of
the war, mostly by way of the Mohawk
valley. The river had been the first
artery of transportation and traffic.
Now it began to be rivaled by turn-
pike travel. Later water travel was
to resume first place after the dig-
ging of the Erie canal, afterward to
be again superseded by land traffic
when the railroads began to develop.
All of these were to make eventually
the Mohawk valley the great road and
waterway it is today.

Immigration to western New York
led to the formation from Montgom*-
ery, Jan. 27, 1789, of Ontario county,
which originally included all of the
state west of a line running due north
from the "82nd milestone" on the
Pennsylvania boundary, through Sen-
eca lake to Sodus Bay on Lake On-
tario. This was the fiist great change
in the borders of Tryon or Montgomery
county (which had been of larger area
than several present-day states) since
its formation seventeen jears before.
Other divisions were to come rapidly.
In 1791 the county nf Montgomery
was still further reduced by the for-

mation of Tioga, Otsego and Herki-
mer. The latter joined Montgomery
county on the north as well as the
west, the present east and west line,
between Fulton and Hamilton, con-
tinued westward, being part of their
common boundary, and another part
of it a line running north and south
from Little Falls, and intersecting the
former "at a place called Jersey-
fields." Of the region thus taken from
Montgomery county on the north, the
present territory of Hamilton was re-
stored in 1797, only to be set apart
under its present name, Feb. 12, 1816.
April 7, 1817, the western boundary of
Montgomery was moved eastward
from the m.eridian of Little Falls to
East Canada creek, and a line run-
ning south from its mouth, where it
still remains. This divided the terri-
tory of the old Canajoharie and Pala-
tine districts between two counties,
after this region had formed part of
Tryon or Montgomery county for a
period of forty-five years, which was
undoubtedly that of its greatest
growth as well as covering the thril-
ling Revolutionary period. It also, for
the first time, made an unnatural and
artificial demarcation of the Canajo-
harie region, known as such north and
south of the Mohawk since the dawn
of history. The line between
Montgomery and Schenectady has
always been part of the boundary
of the former, having originally
separated it from Albany county.
The formation of Otsego county, Feb.
16, 1791, established the line which
now separates it and Schoharie from
Montgomery. The latter took its
northern boundary and entire present
outline on the formation of Fulton
county in 1838, which will be consid-
ered later. Thus the present Mont-
gomery is the small remainder of a
once large territory and bears that
region's original name. It also con-
tains the greater part of the territory
immediately along the river, of three of
the five districts which originally
composed Tryon and Montgomery
county. These three districts were
Canajoharie, Palatine and Mohawk,
and are all names of present-day

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

139

townships of our county, which were
portions of the original districts. It
is in the lands along the Mohawk
river, contained in these old districts,
where the principal part of the popu-
lation was gathered at the close of
the Revolutionary war.

The three towns of Montgomery
which formed part of the Canajoharie
district were set apart on the follow-
ing dates: Minden 1798, Root 1823
(formed partly from the old Mohawk
and old Canajoharie districts). Cana-
joharie, part of the original district of
that name set apart in 1772. The town
of Palatine is the remaining portion
of the original Tryon county district
of that name. The town of St. Johns-
trict, was set apart on the formation
of Fulton county in 1838. In 1793
Caughnawaga was divided into Johns-
town, Mayfield, Broadalbin and Am-
sterdam, and Mohawk into Charles-
ton and Florida, their dividing line
being Schoharie creek. In 1797 Salis-
bury, now in Herkimer county, was
taken from Palatine and in 1798 part
of Canajoharie went to form Minden.

An eighteenth century writer gives
us a good view of the valley during the
decade after the Revolution in a "De-
scription of the Country Between Al-
bany and Niagara in 1792," from
Volume II. of the "Documentary His-
tory of New York." It follows ver-
batim.

"I am just returned from Niagara,
about 560 miles west of Boston. I
went first to Albany, from thence to
Schenectady, about Sixteen miles; this
has been a very considerable place of
trade but is now falling to decay: It
was supported by the Indian traders;
but this business is so arrested by
traders far in the country, that very
little of it reached so far down: it
stands upon the Mohawk river, about
9 miles above the Falls, called Cohoes;
but this I take to be the Indian name
for Falls. Its chief business is to re-
ceive the merchandise from Albany
and put it into batteaux to go up the
river and forward to Albany Such pro-
duce of the back country as is sent to
market. After leaving Schenectada, I

travelled over a most beautiful coun-
try of eighty miles to Fort Schuyler,
where I forded the Mohawk. This ex-
tent was the scene of British and Sav-
age cruelty during the late war, and
they did not cease, while anything re-
mained to destroy. What a contrast
now! — every house and barn rebuilt,
the pastures crowded with Cattle,
Sheep, etc., and the lap of Ceres full.
Most of the land on each Side of the
Mohawk river, is a rich flat highly cul-
tivated with every species of grain,
the land on each side rising in agree-
able Slopes; this, added to the view of
a fine river passing through the whole,
gives the beholder the most pleasing
sensations imaginable. I next passed
through Whitestown. It would appear
to you, my friend, on hearing the re-
lation of events in the western coun-
try, that the whole was fable; and if
you were placed in Whitestown or
Clinton, ten miles from Fort Schuyler,
and see the progress of improvement,
you would believe it enchanted
ground. You would there view an ex-
tensive well built town, surrounded by
highly cultivated fields, which Spot in
the year 1783 was the 'haunt of tribes'
and the hiding place of wolves, now a
flourishing happy Situation, contain-
ing about Six thousand people — Clin-
ton stands a little South of Whites-
town and is a very large, thriving
town."

This writer also says that "after
passing Clinton there are no inhabi-
tants upon the road until you reach
Oneida, an Indian town, the first of
the Six Nations; it contains about
Five hundred and fifty inhabitants;
here I slept and found the natives
very friendly." He also writes, "The
Indians are settled on all the reserva-
tions made by this State, and are to
be met with at every settlement of
whites, in quest of rum."

On Dec. 2, 1784, a council was held
at Fort Schuyler between the Six Na-
tions and American representatives.
Gov. Clinton, Gen. Lafayette and other
distinguished men were present.
Brant was displeased with the Iro-
quois situation, their lands having

140

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

been ceded to the United States by the
treaty of peace. Red Jacket was for
war with the new nation while Corn-
planter was for peace. Under certain
conditions, the Six Nations were al-
lowed to retain a portion of their old
lands, with the exception of the Mo-
hawks who had permanently settled
themselves in Canada. After the
multitude of whites and Indians had
enjoyed a great feast (due to the wise
forethought of Gov. Clinton), a foot
race took place, in which each of the
Six Nations was represented by one
competitor. Gov. Clinton hung up a
buckskin bag, containing $250, on a
flag staff at the starting point on the
bank of the Mohawk. This was a
race of over two miles and was won,
amid great excitement by a mere lad
of the Oneida tribe, named Paul, who
ran the great champion of the Mo-
hawks off his feet and distanced the
rest of his competitors. Gov. Clinton
presented little Paul the prize and
heartily congratulated him. Thus
ended the last council of the Six Na-
tions in the Mohawk valley, exactly a
century and a quarter after the first
held at Caughnawaga between the Iro-
quois and the Dutch in 1659.

Following is a short sketch of the
Revolutionary patriot for whom this
county was named: Richard Mont-
gomery was born in the north of Ire-
land in 1737. He entered the British
army at the age of 20 and was with
Wolfe at the storming of Quebec. Al-
though he returned, after the French
war, he had formed a liking for Am-
erica and, in 1772, came back and made
his home at Rhinebeck on the Hud-
son, where he married a daughter of
Robert B. Livingston. He sided with
the patriots at the outbreak of the
Revolution and in 1775 was second in
command to Schuyler in the expedition
against Canada. The Illness of Schuy-
ler caused the chief command to de-
volve upon Montgomery and in the
capture of St. John's, Chambley and
Montreal and his attack en Quebec, he
exhibited great judgment and military
skill. He was commissioned a major
general before he reached Quebec. In

that campaign he had every diflSculty
to contend with — undisciplined and
mutinous troops, scarcity of provisions
and ammunition, want of heavy artil-
lery, lack of clothing, the rigor of
winter and desertions of whole com-
panies. Yet he pressed onward and in
all probability, had his life been
spared, would have entered Quebec in
triumph. In the heroic attack of the
Americans on this stronghold, Dec. 31,
1775 (during a heavy snowstorm),
Montgomery was killed and his force
defeated. Congress voted Montgomery
a monument, by an act passed Jan. 25,
1776, and it was erected on the Broad-
way side of St. Paul's church in New
York. It bears the following inscrip-
tion: "This monument is erected by
order of Congress, 25th of January,
1776, to transmit to posterity a grate-
ful remembrance of the patriot con-
duct, enterprise and perseverence of
Major-General Richard Montgomery,
who, after a series of successes amid
the most discouraging difficulties, fell
in the attack on Quebec, 31st Decem-
ber, 1775, aged 37 years."

In 1818 his remains were brought
from Quebec and buried under this
memorial.

General Montgomery left no chil-
dren, but his widow survived him more
than half a century. A day or two
before he left his home at Rhinebeck
for the Canadian campaign, the gen-
eral was walking on the lawn in the
rear of his brother-in-law's mansion
with its owner. As they came near
the house, Montgomery stuck a willow
twig in the ground and said, "Peter
let that grow to remember me by."
Losslng says it did grow and that
when he visited the spot (in 1848) it
was a willow with a trunk at least
ten feet in circumference.

The following is a summary of the
principal Mohawk valley events of the
period covered in this chapter (from
1784 to 1838), prepared with especial
reference to the Canajoharie and PaK
atine districts and the five western
towns of Montgomery county:

1784, last council of the Iroquois in
the valley (with Gov. Clinton at Fort

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

141

Stanwix) ; 1789, first cutting up of
Montgomery to form Ontario county
in 1789; 1790, legislative appropriation
of £100 to erect a bridge at East
Creek, opening up a period of bridge
building in the valley; 1792, incorpor-
ation of Inland Lock and Navigation
Co. to improve the Mohawk; 1794,
Johnstown academy formed; 1795,
Union college, Schenectady, incorpor-
ated, formerly Union academy, 1785;
1798, Schenectady incorporated as a
city; 1800, charter granted for con-
struction of Mohawk turnpike from
Schenectady to Utica; 1808, first sur-
vey for Erie canal; May and Septem-
ber, 1812, Mohawk valley regiments
garrison Sacketts Harbor and take
part in repulse of British there in
1813; July 4, 1817, beginning of Erie
canal work at Rome, N. Y. ; 1819, busi-
ness part of Schenectady burned;
1819, first canal boat launched at
Rome to run between Rome and Utica;
1821, navigation on the Erie between
Rome and Little Falls, canal boats
using the river from there to Schen-
ectady; 1823, canal open to Spraker's
Basin on the east end; Oct. 26, 1825,
start of Clinton's triumphal tour on
the completed Erie canal from Buffalo
to Albany and from thence, by the
Hudson, to New York; 1827, slavery
finally abolished in New York state;
1831, building of the Albany and Sche-
nectady railroad; 1836, completion of
the Utica and Schenectady railroad;
1836, removal of the Montgomery
county court house from Johnstown to
Fonda (Caughnawaga) ; 1838, separa-
tion of Fulton from Montgomery
county.

The chief national events of the for-
mative period between 1784 and about
1840, which has been treated some-
what locally in the foregoing chapter
are as follows:

1787, September, Constitution of
the United States framed by state del-
egates at Philadelphia; 1788, July 26,
New York state ratifies Constitution,
being the ninth state so to do and
putting it into effect; 1789, April 6,
Washington inaugurated first presi-

dent in New York city (then national
capital), John Adams, vice president;
1790, Philadelphia becomes national
capitol until 1800; 1792, Washington
re-elected president, John Adams, vice
president; 1795, invention of the cot-
ton gin by Eli Whitney of Savannah,
Ga. ; 1796, John Adams elected second
president, Thomas Jefferson, vice
president; 1799, Dec. 14, Washington's
death; 1800, Washington city becomes
national capital; Thomas Jefferson
elected third president, Aaron Burr,
vice president; 1803, cession of French
Louisiana territory (1,171,931 square
miles) to United States for $15,000,000;
1804, Thomas Jefferson re-elected
president, George Clinton (former gov-
ernor of New York) vice president;
1807, Clermont, first steamer, runs
from New York to Albany; 1808, James
Madison elected fourth president,
George Clinton re-elected vice presi-
dent; 1812, James Madison re-elected
president, Elbridge Gerry, vice presi-
dent; 1812, June 18, second war (of
1812) declared by congress against
England; 1813, British repulsed from
in front of Sackett's Harbor, N. Y.;
1813, Harrison defeats British force
and Indian force under Tecumseh;
1813, Sept. 10, Perry's American fleet
captures British squadron on Lake
Erie; 1814, July 25, battle of Lundy's
Lane in Canada on the Niagara fron-
tier; 1814, August, British army burns
the Capitol and White House at Wash-
ington; 1814, September, McDonough's
American fleet destroys British fleet
on Lake Champlain at Plattsburgh,
N. Y., and American force checks
British army there preventing inva-
sion of New York; 1814, Dec. 24, peace
■of Ghent signed; 1815, Jan. 8, defeat
of British by Jackson's army before
New Orleans, La.; 1816, first tariff,
with protection as its aim, enacted;
1819, first ocean steamer, "Savannah,"
crosses Atlantic from Savannah to
Liverpool, England, in twenty-two
days; 1820, first struggle between slave
and free states over the Missouri
Compromise act; 1823, "Monroe doc-
trine" first propounded by President
Monroe in his annual message to con-
gress; 1824, John Quincy Adams elect-

142

THE STOKY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ed sixth president, John C. Calhoun,
vice president; 1827, first U. S. railway
from Quincy, Mass., quarries to tide-
water (built to transport granite used
in construction of Bunker Hill monu-
ment) ; 1828, Andrew Jackson elected
seventh president, John C. Calhoun
re-elected vice president; 1831, Cyrus
McCormick operates first successful
mowing machine at Steele's Tavern,
Va. ; 1832, South Carolina passes Act
of Nullification of national (high) pro-
tective tariff of 1832; 1832, Andrew
Jackson re-elected president, Martin
Van Buren elected vice president;
1832, first American sewing machine
made by Walter Hunt of New York
city; 1830-5, first threshing machine
made at Fly Creek, N. Y., not perfect-
ed there until 1840; 1836, Martin Van
Buren elected eighth president, Rich-
ard M. Johnson, vice president; 1836,
first model of telegraph instrument
made by Samuel F. B. Morse of New
York city; 1837-1842, years of finan-
cial depression; 1839, first photo-
graphs from life made by J. W. Draper
of New York city; 1840, invention of
baseball by Abner (afterward General)
Doubleday, a schoolboy at Coopers-
town, N. Y.

CHAPTER II.

1784-1838 — People and Life in the
Mohawk Valley — Dress — The Revo-
lutionary Houses — The Mohawk
Dutch — English Becomes the Popu-
lar Tongue — Rev. Taylor's Journey
in 1802— Valley Sports— -Doubleday's
Invention of Baseball — Last of the
Mohawks in the Valley — The Iroquois
Population in 1890 and the Mohawks
in Canada.

The history of the Mohawk valley
from 1784 to 1838 is one of great de-
velopment and progress. Immigration
poured into and through the valley,
and consequently steps were taken for
the bettering of transportation facili-
ties, in the improvement of Mohawk
river navigation and of the highways
and in the building of bridges. The
clearing of the land made the forest
recede far back from the river except
in scattered woods, and, toward the

end of this important period, the val-
ley began to assume its present day
aspect. Settlements were made far-
ther and farther away from the Mo-
hawk and rough highways to them
were opened up. Logging was an im-
portant industry. Towns began to
spring up along the course of the river
or to develop from the hamlets and
little villages already there located.
Manufacturing began and factories
were established. Schools and

churches were built everywhere.
Newspapers were started and the
whole complicated fabric of modern
civilization was woven from the crude
materials of a frontier civilization.
Human life in the valley changed
from its early strong simplicity to that
of today, with its advantages and dis-
advantages. Albany was the metrop-
olis for Central New York, while
Schenectady was the most important
town in the valley until the close of
this period when Utica outstripped it.
The cities and villages of the present
were, almost without exception, in ex-
istence at the end of this time.
Johnstown continued the county seat
during this half century. Toward the
close of this chapter of the valley his-
tory came the epochal events of the
construction of the Erie canal and the
railroad, the latter of which may be
said to end this historical period and
usher in that of today.

The steam engine had been perfect-
ed in England early in the eL^rhteenth
century but it was not in general use
in the Mohawk valley until the nine-
teenth century. Water power was
generally utilized for manufacturing
purposes and this is the reason of the
early growth of factory towns like
Little Falls and Amsterdam, which
used the power of the Mohawk and
the Chuctanunda. Almost every
stream, with sufficient fall and volume
of water, had its power utilized. The
principal water courses in western
Montgomery county, used for milling
and manufacturing purposes were
Zimmerman's creek in St. Johnsville,
Caroga and Knayderack (Sehenck's
Hollow) in Palatine, Yatesville (Ran-
dall) and Flat Creek (Sprakers) in

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

143

Root, Canajoharie in Canajoharie and
the Otsquago in Minden.

This period also marked the passing
of slavery in the Mohawk valley, it
being finally abolished in the state of
New York in 1S27. This would have
ordinarily occasioned disturbance in
valley labor conditions as some far-
mers had had a score of black slaves.
The emancipation had probably
been discounted and many slaves had
been previously voluntarily freed by
their masters. It is remarkable, con-
sidering the evidently large number of
slaves here a century ago, that the
colored population of the valley is no
larger today than it is.

The time was also one in which the
apprentice system flourished and or-
phan children, and others, were fre-
quently bound out as apprentices until
they attained their majority, being
virtually under the control of their
guardians (except in cases where the
legal ties were dissolved by law) un-
til the minors attained their majority.

In a general way this was a period
of great evolution, in which was fin-
ally produced the valley as we know
it today. The life of the people of the
Mohawk country is here considered,
with reference to their dress (a mat-
ter of undoubted importance historic-
ally) their home and daily lire, their
character and changing language and
their pastimes and sports. When his-
tory is truly written we shall all see
the people's life of the past days pic-
tured as well as the movements of the
chief actors in the great and changing
drama.

The river traffic, highway and canal
building, and other items of the life of
this period, are dealt with in later
chapters. These include churches,
militia, war of 1812, bridges, railroad
building and other valley features of
the years from 1784 to 1838.

The period from 1784 to about 1800,
which is partly considered in this
chapter, was one of great transition in
the dress of the people. Its most dis-
tinguishing mark in that respect was
the adoption, for general use of trous-

ers or pantaloons, which supplanted
the "small clothes" dress of men about
the beginning of the nineteenth cen-
tury. Mrs. John Adams, wife of the
later president who was then minister
to England, commented, in 1784, in
one of her interesting letters, on the
fact that dress and fashion seemed
less regarded in London than in the
American cities. True, to the major-
ity of Tryon county people, fashionable
dress was of little concern as this was
a frontier and farming country, but
rich apparel was no stranger to them,
having been seen at civil and military
functions in Johnstown and other val-
ley points and at Schenectady and Al-
bany. The advent of Washington's
staff in his tour of the valley and stops
at Fort Plain and Fort Herkimer in 1783
must have been a brilliant spectacle,
which undoubtedly brought out all the
good clothes in Tryon county. Gen.
Washington was most punctilious and
careful in matters of dress, his atti-
tude, in his own words, being that "or-
derly and handsome dress was impera-
tive for men in office and authority,
that they and the nation should stand
well in the eyes of other peoples, that
they should impress the simpler of
their own folk."

Robert W. Chambers, the well-
known novelist, is a resident of Ful-
ton county, living at Broadalbin in
what was the Mohawk district of
Tryon. His novel "Cardigan" deals, in
its early pages, with life at Johnson
Hall. It suggests that, at the military
and civic functions at the Tryon
county seat, the dignitaries, officials,
officers and their ladies there assem-
bled must have rivalled the rainbow in
the kaleidoscopic brilliancy of their
rich attire. In 1780 when John Han-
cock was inaugurated governor of
Massachusetts he wore a scarlet velvet
suit which is still preserved in the
Boston State House. His dress "on
an important occasion when he de-
sired to make an impression and yet
not to appear over-carefully dressed,"
was thus described by a contempo-
rary: "He wore a red velvet cap with-
in which was one of fine linen, the last
turned up two or three inches over the

144

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

lower edge of the velvet. He also wore
a blue damask gown, lined with vel-
vet, a white stock, a white satin em-
broidered waistcoat, black satin small-
clothes, white silk stockings and red
morocco slippers." Many of the por-
traits and descriptions in Mrs. Earle's
"Two Centuries of Costume in Amer-
ica" bring vividly before us the life of
the time and its American people.
Tasteful and beautiful are many of the
gowns of the fine ladies of the time,
some of whom are radiantly lovely
themselves. The men pictured therein
show frequently strong well-modeled
features of an American type which
today is found only occasionally.
Readers interested in this and the
colonial period should study Mrs. Alice
Morse Earle's "Home Life in Colonial
Days," which gives a vivid insight
into the life of both times.

Cleanliness was a not uncommon
virtue of the Americans of that day.
Dr. Younglove was the Palatine phys-
ician who was a surgeon with Herki-
naer's regiment. As we have seen he
was captured by the British at Oris-
kany and taken to Canada. One of his
chief complaints, during his early cap-
tivity, was as to the lack of soap and
other means of keeping clean. English
travelers of the time commented on
the general neatness and cleanliness of
American women, which would sug-
gest a not similar condition existing
in Europe. These same foreigners of
the time found grounds for criticism
in the riot of extravagance of dress
and living which pervaded the "up-
per" classes of society in the American
cities. The Count de Rochembeau as-
serted that the wives of American
merchants and bankers were clad to
the top of the French fashions and
another French critic deplored it as a
great misfortune that, in republics,
women should sacrifice so much time
to "trifles." Franklin warned his
countrymen against this wave of reck-
less expenditure and Washington, who
in his younger years was most care-
ful about his rich and correct dress,
later wore, as an example, home-rear-
ed and native made cloth. His wife
was attired in domestic products, and

we find her knitting and netting,
weaving cloth at home, using up old
materials.

In the few growing villages along
the Mohawk and among a compara-
tively small number of well-to-do
families in Tryon county this passion
for rich attire probably existed, but
the Mohawk valley Dutchman and his
household needed none of Franklin's
warnings against extravagance.

While a few families of means and
luxurious tastes affected the rich fash-
ions of the day, the mass of the val-
Tey people dressed simply, as farmer
folk generally do the world over. The
short working skirt for women prob-
ably persisted and the change from
breeches to trousers but little affected
the Mohawk farmer, for the buckskin
leggings of the frontier were nothing
liut a form of trousers and nether gar-
ments reaching below the knee had
always been worn by workingmen and
farm laborers, and by gentlemen for
rough and ready wear. For farm la-
borers, these were frequently of coarse
tow and were called "tongs," "skilts,"
overalils, pantaloons or trousers. One
writer, speaking of farm workers and
their "pants" of a period prior to the
Revolution, says: "They wore checked
shirts and a sort of brown trousers
known as skilts. These were short,
reaching just below the knee and very
large, being a full half yard broad at
the bottom; and, without bi'aces or
gallows, were kept up by the hips,
sailor fashion." Mrs. Earle says: "It
is plain that these skilts or tongs were
the universal wear of farmers in hot
weather. Tight breeches were ill
adapted for farm work."

Trousers, or pantaloons, were evi-
dently also the country dress or rough
and ready wear of eighteenth century
gentlemen. Young Major Andre was re-
puted one of the dandies of the British
army in America but, at the time of
his capture (perhaps in the disguise of
a patriot country merchant) he wore "a
round hat, crimson coat (such as was
worn by English and American gen-
tlemen) with pantaloons and vest of
buff nankeen," and riding boots. Pres-
ident John Adams also makes mention

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

145

of his wearing "trousers" about liis
farm. It is also probable that trous-
ers or pantaloons were worn by sol-
diers during the Revolution, at least
by the Continental militiamen. Dur-
ing the pursuit of Ross and Butler up
West Canada creek in October, 1781
(as stated in a previous chapter), it is
said the American soldiers took off
their "pantaloons" to ford the icy
creeks. This is on the authority of one
of their number. The word "panta-
loons," however, as used here may
refer to either breeches or trousers.

Women's costume in 1784 varied
from the plain, simple, somewhat full
skirted dress of the housewife to the
thousand frivolities of the fashionablle
society of the American cities. Vel-
vets, silks, and laces in every variety
of brilliant color were used by both
men and women. About 1800 came the
change to the simpler dress for men
of today, although for full dress oc-
casions knee breeches continued to be
worn by some men until about 1830,
and a few old gentlemen clung to this
fashion of their youth even after that
period.

Visitors to New York city, who are
interested in the life of the people at
the period covered by this chapter, will
find the Governor's room in the City
Hall a most interesting place. Here
are portraits of many state notables
from the early days of the colony until
the middle of the nineteenth century,
affording a vivid insight into the life
and changes of those times. Three of
Port Plain's distinguished visitors are
present — Washington, Governor Clin-
ton and President Van Buren. Horatio
Seymour of Utica and Joseph C. Yates
of Schene'ctady, Mohawk valley gov-
ernors, are also here, as is Bouck, the
Schoharie governor. Washington and
Clinton are depicted in buff and blue
continental regimentals, perhaps of
the very style they wore during their
Mohawk valley trip and Fort Plain
visit of 1783. Most interesting is the
study of the changing costume of these
dignitaries. Colonial and Revolution-
ary military dress was frequently a
resplendent affair and so continued to
be until after the war of 1812. Mor-

gan Lewis, who was governor of the
state 1804-7, is shown here, in a por-
trait of 1808, in a uniform of yellow
and black with a maroon sash, Wel-
lington boots, highly decorated long
sabre, and white gloves. He has a
military coat of black velvet, edged
with gold braid and lined with crimson
satin.

Governor Joseph C. Yates is repre-
sented in a superb full-length portrait
painted by the New York artist, John
Vanderlyn, in 1827. He is depicted in
black full dress, with knee breeches,
black stockings and pumps. Governor
Yates was a member of the well-
known Yates family of Schenectady
and Yates county is named for him. He
was born in 1768 and died in 1837, and
was a founder of Union college, first
mayor of Schenectady in 1798, and
governor 1823-5.

Governor Dewitt Clinton was also
painted in 1827 in the saine style cos-
tume with the addition of a black
cioak with a red lining. Both Yates
and Clinton, although past middleage,
make a brave showing in this attire
and it seems incredible that men of
taste and fashion should have dropped
such a dignified and stately full dress
for that which Martin Van Buren wears
in a portrait dated 1830. Here we have
the dress suit of the* nineteenth cen-
tury with a few differences of cut and
the funny pantaloons which make mal-
formations of Van Buren's Iqgs com-
pared with the underpinning of Yates
and Clinton. And so went out the
knee breeches and entered the era of
the stove-pipe hat. Students of such
things say man's dress both reflects
the spirit of the times and also in-
fluences it. Truly it seems to have in-
deed done so and particularly at the
end of this post-Revolutionary period
of fifty years. While the costume of
1913 may not be as resplendent as that
of 1784, it has features of comfort
lacking at the earlier time. In Am-
erica the wearing of underclothes is
now well-nigh universal and these
garments were unknown, except in
winter, in Revolutionary days. Un-
derwear manufacture is a feature of
Mohawk valley industry.

146

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Valley homes and Mfe after the war
are vividly pictured in the following
from "Beer's History (1878)." This was
written of the town of Florida, but
applies equally to the other Montgom-
ery county towns as well:

"With the opening of the nineteenth
century we seem to come a long step
toward the present. It seems a great
milestone in history, dividing a fading
past from the fresher present. The
long, doubtful struggle with England
had resulted in a dearly bought, dear-
ly prized peace, with its beautiful vic-
tories. Local tradition has not yet lost
the memory of the suffering that fol-
lowed the infamous raid of Butler and
Brant through this neighborhood in
1780; and still treasures tales of hair-
breadth escapes of families that found
darksome homes in the cellars of their
burned dwellings, of the fearful hush-
ing of children, lest their voices should
betray the places of concealment, of
the hiding of plate and valuables, tea
kettles freighted with spoons being
hid in such haste as to defy future un-
earthing. * * But at last 'the land
had rest.' The red man, once sover-
eign lord, had disappeared; the power-
ful Johnson family was exiled, its
homes sequestered and in other hands.
Sturdy toil and earnest labor won their
due return and Ihrift and competency
were everywhere attested by hospit-
able homes and well stored barns. Al-
bany was the main market for the
products, wheat forming the most con-
siderable item. School houses and
churches now dotted the landscape,
and busy grist and saw mills perched
on many streams. The Dutch [and
German] language was much spoken,
but many Connecticut and New Eng-
land settlers never acquired it, and
theirs [eventually] became the com-
mon tongue.

"Not alone have the 'blazed' or
marked trees and saplings, which in-
dicated the lines of roads or farm
boundaries, long since decayed, but
'block house' and log cabin have also
disappeared, and it may be doubted if
five specimens of these early homes
can now be found within the bounds of
Florida. Yet still there live those who

can remember the old-fashioned
houses. Says Mr. David Cady:

"We have seen the type and warm-
ed ourselves at the great hospitable
fireplace, with crane, pothooks and
trammels, occupying nearly the side
of the room; while outer doors were
so opposed that a horse might draw in
the huge log by one entrance, leaving
by the other. Strange, too, to our
childish eyes, were the curious chiin-
nies of tree limbs encrusted with mor-
tar. The wide fireplace was universal;
the huge brick oven indispensable.
Stoves were not, though an occasional
Franklin was possessed. The turkey
was oft cooked suspended before the
crackling fire; the corn baked in the
low coal-covered bake kettle, the po-
tatoes roasted beneath the ashes, and
apples upon a ledge of bricks; nuts
and cider were in store in every house.
As refinement progressed and wealth
advanced, from the fireside wall ex-
tended a square cornice, perhaps six
feet deep by ten feet wide, from which
depended a brave valance of gay
printed chintz or snowy linen, per-
chance decked with mazy net work
and tassled fringe, wrought by the
cunning hand of the mistress or her
daughter. These too have we seen.
Possibly the household thrift of the
last [eighteenth] century was not
greater than that of the present time,
but its field of exertion was vastly
different. The hum of the great and
the buzz of the little spinning wheel
were heard in every home. By the
great wheels the fleecy rolls of wool,
often hand carded, were turned into
the firm yarns that by the motions of
deft fingers grew into warm stockings
and mittens, or by the stout and
clumsy loom became gay coverlet of
scarlet, or blue and, white, or the
graver 'press cloth' for garb of women
and children, or the butternut or
brown or black homespun of men's
wear. The little wheel mainly drew
from twirling distaff the thread that
should make the 'fine, twined linen,'
the glory and pride of mistress or
maid, who could show her handiwork
in piles of sheets, tablecloths and gar-
ments. Upon these, too, was often

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

147

lavished garniture of curious needle-
work, hemstitch, and herringbone and
lacestitch. Plaid linseys and linen
wear were, too, fields for taste to dis-
port in, while the patient and careful
toil must not go unchronicled that
from the wrecks of old and worn out
clothes produced wondrous resurrec-
tion in the 'hit-or-miss' or striped rag
carpet, an accessory of so much com-
fort, so great endurance, and often so
great beauty.

"Horseback was the most common
style of traveling. The well-sweep or
bubbling spring supplied the clear,
cold water. Such was the then, we
know the now. In modes of life, in
dress and equipage, in social and po-
litical habits, in locomotion, in com-
forts, in commerce, one needs not to
draw the contrast; more wide or
striking it scarce could be."

Mr. Cady has most pleasingly de-
scribed the old log cabin homes, but
we must remember that much that he
details of them was also true of the
stone and brick houses which were
built up along the Mohawk, almost
from the first advent of the white set-
tlers. The century or more following
the initial settlements was marked by
the erection of strong, well-made
houses and barns, which might well be
adapted for present day construction.
When stone was easily obtainable, as
in the Palatine and parts of the Cana-
joharie districts, fine, solid, comfort-
able farm dwellings were built which
seem to reflect the simple, solid, hon-
est character of the Mohawk valley
men of German and Dutch ancestry
of the time. While the "Mohawk
Dutchman" has been criticised, justly
or unjustly, for penury, lack of enter-
prise and progressiveness and other
failings, he seems to have possessed
the sterling virtues of horse sense, jus-
tice, honesty, toleration, self restraint
and, greatest of all, pertinacity. All
these qualities are so well exemplified
in the greatest American of the time —
Washington — of a different blood.
These same traits seem to reflect
themselves in the structures built by
the men of the Mohawk from 1784 to

1838. There are many examples lin-
ing the river's course on both high-
ways and in the villages. The Frey
house (1800) in Palatine Bridge is an
example of the stone construction,
while the Groff house (typical of that
fine old Schenectady Dutch style) and
the public library (1835) on Willett
street. Fort Plain, are examples re-
spectively of brick and wood building
of the period under consideration. The
old Paris store or "Bleecker house,"
in Fort Plain, is another interesting
specimen of early valley building. The
reason the middle and upper Mohawk
valley have so few pre-Revolutionary
buildings is that these were destroyed
in the raids from 1778 to 1782.

These same human qualities enumer-
ated have continued to make the "Mo-
hawk Dutch" such an important part
of the valley's population, probably
the largest element even at this day.

It has been authoritatively stated
that the Teutonic is the largest single
racial factor in our country. It has
never been exploited like the Puritan
strain has in history and literature
but it is none the less important on
that account. Wherever the Teutonic
race settled it did its work well as did
other peoples of America. Of its origi-
nal locations, the Dutch settlements of
New Jersey and the Hudson and Mo-
hawk valleys and the German settle-
ments of Pennsylvania and the Hud-
son, Mohawk and Schoharie valleys are
of prime historical importance. As
has been previously mentioned, these
two elements (the Dutch and the Ger-
man) were much intermingled and al-
ways have been.

At the beginning of the Revolution,
it may be roughly estimated, that, in
the entire valley, one-half the popula-
tion was of German blood, one-quar-
ter of Holland descent (including pop-
ulous Schenectady county) and one-
quarter of other racial elements, or in
other words, three-quarters "Mohawk
Dutch." This supposition is borne out
somewhat by the "Oriskany roster"
and similar records of the time. After
the Revolution, with growing immigra-
tion, the Teutonic element somewhat
decreased, but the majority of the

148

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

families of a great part of the valley
possess some strain of this sterling
blood. And the spirit of toleration and
restraint inherited from these early
Teutonic settlers is a valued heritage
of the valley people of today. Possibly
the Holland Dutch element was greater
than in the foregoing estimate. There
is no means of accurately telling, but
the guess may stand for Tryon county
alone.

There were then present other
equally sterling racial elements, nota-
bly Irish, Scotch, Welsh and English,
but these were not of such numerical
strength as the Teutonic in the for-
mative period of the valley and did
not consequently affect the course of
life and events to the same extent as
did the latter, so generally predomi-
nant in the early years. Today the
British element (inclusive of the four
peoples mentioned) is present in much
greater proportion than in colonial and
Revolutionary times. However in the
towns of Montgomery county, aside
from the city of Amsterdam, the opin-
ion is worth venturing that the old
"Mohawk Dutch" stock still consti-
tutes a majority of the population.
This is particularly true of the country
sections and of the Ave western towns.
In the list of premium winners at the
Fort Plain street fair of 1912, two-
thirds of the names published were
of this typical valley, original Teu-
tonic stock. The foregoing racial dis-
course will have served its purpose if
it indicates that we must consider
New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania history (and that of other great
regions where non-British elements
largely located) in an entirely differ-
ent light from that of the Puritan set-
tlements of New England or the cava-
lier's Virginia and Maryland. These
latter (especially New England) seem
to have been historically exploited to
the slighting of other equally import-
ant colonial centers of life. This coun-
try is not a second England, or even
an enlarged New England, but a new
nation, made up of many elements,
although dominated by one great co-
hesive national idea, and largely dif-
fering in racial ancestry in different

areas. Historically these race and na-
tional elements must be duly consid-
ered to give a clear understanding of
certain periods, but we are today all
Amei'icans — and Americans alone — re-
gardless of the original stock from
which we sprang.

The period under consideration
marked the passing of German in the
western and Dutch in the eastern val-
ley as the predominant tongues. The
change was gradual. Dominies, who,
at the close of the war preached, in
the churches, several sermons in Ger-
man or Dutch (or both) to one in
English, after 1800 were discoursing
more in the latter than in "the former
tongues. German and Dutch were
still spoken in 1838 but then English
had long been the popular language.
The old "Mohawk Dutch" still lingers
as a subsidiary speech to a limited
extent.

For the most part the men of this
period (from 1784 to 1838) led lives of
hard work in the open air, and were
consequently sturdy. Factory life was
a negligible quantity, even toward the
end of this time, and the town popu-
lation was small in comparison with
the people who were on the farms.
Agricultural conditions and work
gradually improved and approached
the more advanced niethods of the
present, although doubtless not spec-
ialized as now. In inost sections, the
farming population, at the end of this
period, was larger than it is at the
present time (1913). The country
was what might be called a nat-
ural country and human life was
consequently natural and not lived
under such artificial conditions as now.
The great health-giving and soil-pre-
serving forest still occupied consider-
able stretches of country and fur-
nished hunting and fishing for the
male population. There were farms,
forests and watercourses and no huge
cities, with their big factories and in-
door life, to tend toward the deterior-
ation of the valley's people.

With none of the present-day ag-
ricultural machinery, such as the
reaper and thresher, the men of that
day were compelled to do themselves

THE STORY OF OLD FOKT PLAIN

149

the hard work of the farms and also of
the towns. Consequently they had
sturdy bodies, and so did the women
and their children, as Avell — and no
people can have a better asset. The
women were probably generally good
housewives, who gave their d.iughters
thorough training in the work of the
household, and who took the same
pride in a well-kept house as their
husbands did in a well-managed, pro-
ductive farm. Aimless discontent
seems to have been markedly absent
and the women of the time were evi-
dently lacking in sexless prudery and
priggishness. The natural ardors of
youth seem not to have been then
considered evidences of depravity, and
early marriages and large families
were the rule. There was no need of
sending the little child, of that day, to
kindergarten for pretty nearly every
farm and town house was a kinder-
garten in itself. It is said that never,
in any nation's history, has there been
such a record of population increase
as in the American states from their
settlement up to the time of the great
invasion of foreign immigrants about
1840, when this natural national
growth began to slacken and approach
the present (1913) stationary position
among the purely American element of
the population (let us say among
families who settled here prior to
1840). If this trend should unfortu-
nately continue the Revolutionary
American stock is bound to die out or
become at most a negligible national
quantity.

It is not to be inferred from the
foregoing that 1784 or 1838 is superior
to 1913 as a period of human life. In
comfort, sanitation, kindliness and
toleration w^e are ahead of the earlier
time. Both times have something that
each lack by themselves.

During the time of this chapter, the
tavern continued, as before and during
the Revolution, a center of social and
political life. Here were held dances,
banquets, meetings and elections.
"Trainings" of the militia and horse
races brought out the people as at
present county fairs. An agricultural
association was formed in Johnstown

and county fairs were held there about
the middle of this period.

The work and government of the
valley, after the conflict for independ-
ence, were in the hands of the patriot
Revolutionary warriors. They assum-
ed the direction of county affairs,
without change — the form of .srovern-
ment of old Tryon being much like
that of the Montgomery county which
it became. Later the sons and grand-
sons of Revolutionary sires took up
their share of work and politics and at
the close of this after-war period (in
1838) there must have been but com-
paratively few of the men of '76 left.

Rev. John Taylor's journal of 1802,
written during his journey up the Mo-
hawk valley, gives us a sketch of the
people and country hereabouts at that
interesting time, also an insight into
the crude farming methods then pre-
vailing. Parts of his diary relating to
this section are as follows:

"July 23, 1802— Tripes (alias Tribes)
Hill, in the town of Amsterdam, coun-
ty of Montgomery. * * * This place
appears to be a perfect Babel as to
language. But very few of the peo-
ple, I believe, would be able to pro-
nounce Shibboleth. The articulation,
even of New England people, is injur-
ed by their being intermingled with
the Dutch, Irish and Scotch. The
character of the Dutch people, even on
first acquaintance, appears to be that
of kindness and justice. As {o re-
ligion, they know but little about it,
and are extremely superstitious. They
are influenced very much by dreams
and apparitions. The most intelligent
of them seem to be under the influ-
ence of fear from that cause. The
High Dutch have some singular cus-
toms with regard to their dead. When
a person dies, nothing will influence
ye connections, nor any other person,
unless essentially necessary, to touch
the body. When the funeral is ap-
pointed, none attend but such as are
invited. When the corpse is placed in
the street a tune is sung by a choir of
persons appointed for the purpose — •
and continue singing until they arrive
at the grave; and after the body is

150

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

deposited, they have some remarks
made, return to ye house and in gen-
eral get drunk. 12 men are bearers —
or carriers — and they have no relief.
No will is opened or debt paid until
six weeks from ye time of death.

"27th — Left Amsterdam and traveled
5 miles to Johnstown — a very pleasant
village — containing one Dutch pres-
byterian chh and an Episcopalian. The
village is tolerably well built. It is a
county town — lies about 4 miles from
the River and contains about 600 in-
habitants. In this town there is a jail,
court house and academy. About
%ths of a mile from the center of the
town we find the buildings erected by
Sir William Johnson." Mr. Taylor
also continues as follows:

"Johnstown, west of Amsterdam on
the Mohawk — extent [the town] 11 by
8 miles. It contains one Scotch Pres-
byterian congregation, who have an
elegant meeting house, Simon Hosack
Pastor of the Chh, a Gent, of learning
and piety, educated at Edinburgh.
This is a very respectable congrega-
tion. The town contains an Episco-
pal congregation, who have an elegant
stone church with organs. John Ur-
quhart, curate. Congregation not
numerous. There is also in this town
one reformed Dutch chh. Mr. Van
Horn, an excellent character, pastor.
A respectable congregation. Further
there is one large Presbyterian congre-
gation— vacant — the people [of this
congregation] principally from New
England.

"Palatine, west of Johnstown and
Mayfield; extent 15 by 12 miles [then
depleted in size from 1772]. A place
called Stone Arabia is in this town and
contains one Lutheran Chh and one
Dutch reformed Chh. Mr. Lubauch is
minister of the latter and Mr. Crotz of
the former. Four miles west of Stone
Arabia, in the same town of Palatine,
is a reformed Lutheran Chh to whom
Mr. Crotz preaches part of the time.

"After leaving this town [Johns-
town] I passed about ten miles in a
heavy timbered country with but few
inhabitants. The soil, however, ap-
pears in general to be excellent. The
country is a little more uneven than

it is back in Amsterdam. After trav-
eling ten miles in a tolerable road, I
came to Stonearabe (or Robby as the
Dutch pronounce it). This is a par-
ish of Palatine and is composed prin-
cipally of High Dutch or Germans.
Passing on 4 miles, came upon the
river in another parish of Palatine, a
snug little village with a handsome
stone Chh [Palatine Church]. Hav-
ing traveled a number of miles back
of the river, I find that there is a
great similarity in the soil, but some
difference in the timber. From Johns-
town to Stone Arabia, the timber is
beech and maple, with some hemlocks.
In Stone Arabia the timber is walnut
and butternut. The fields of wheat are
numerous and the crop in general is
excellent. In everything but wheat
the husbandry appears to be bad. The
land for Indian corn, it is evident from
appearance is not properly plowed —
they plow very shallow. Neither is
the corn tended — it is in general full
of weeds and grass and looks miser-
ably. Rie is large. Flax does not ap-
pear to be good. Whether this is ow-
ing to the season or the soil, I know
not. Pease appear to flourish — so do
oats; but the soil, I believe, is too hard
and clayey for potatoes — they look
very sickly. I perceive as yet, but one
great defect in the morals of the peo-
ple— they are too much addicted to
drink. The back part of Montgomery
[now Fulton] county consists of some
pine plains; but in general the lumber
is beach and maple. A good grass and
wheat country."

Like many after war times, the
close of the Revolution ushered in an
era of recklessness and license.
Gambling, extravagance, horse-racing,
drunkenness and dueling were forms
of its evidence. The duel was a recog-
nized and tolerated method for the
settlement of private grievances at the
beginning of the nineteenth century.
The Roseboom-Kane affair at Cana-
joharie is treated in a later chapter
relative to that town. Another duel
caused great public excitement in New
York city and state in the first year
of the nineteenth century. The prin-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

151

cipals were Philip Hamilton, son of
Alexander Hamilton, and George J.
Eacker, who had come to New York
from his home in the town of Palatine
a few years before. The latter was
the son of Judge Eacker of Palatine
and a nephew of General Herkimer.
Eacker studied law, was admitted to
the bar and became associated in a
law firm with Brockholst Livingston,
after his arrival in the city. He was
a friend and admirer of Aaron Burr
and a Jeffersonian in politics. Party
feeling ran very high and Eacker be-
came embroiled with the Federalists
of which party Alexander Hamilton
was a national and state leader. In
1801 Eacker delivered the Fourth of
July oration in New York city, and
seems to have thereby incurred the
enmity of the Hamiltons and their
party. Nov. 20, 1801, Eacker and his
fiancee (a Miss Livingston) occupied
a box at the John St. theatre, and he
was there insulted by Philip Hamilton
(then in his twentieth year), son of
Alexander Hamilton, and by young
Hamilton's friend Price. The talk be-
tween them, in Eacker presence, ran
somewhat as follows: "How did you
like Backer's sour krout oration on
the Fourth of July?" The answer
placed it in a very low scale. "What
will you give for a printed copy of it?"
"About a sixpence" was the reply.
"Don't you think the Mohawk Dutch-
man is a greater man than Washing-
ton?" "Yes, far greater," etc., etc.
Eacker resented this abuse and a duel
with Price followed at noon, Sunday,
November 22, at Powle's Hook. Four
shots were exchanged between the
principals without result, when the
seconds intervened. A second duel
with young Hamilton took place the
following day, Monday, November 23,
at three in the afternoon at the same
place, in which Eacker shot Hamilton
through the body at the first fire and
the unfortunate young man died the
next day. It is a curious commentary
upon the position dueling occupied, in
the estimation of men of the time, that
Alexander Hamilton held no griev-
ance against the slayer of his son,
and Joseph Herkimer of Little Falls,

observed to a friend that he "never
witnessed more especial compliments
or respectful greetings pass between
lawyers than did between Gen. Hamil-
ton and Eacker after his son's death."
Eacker died in 1803 of consumption
and Alexander Hamilton was himself
killed in a duel with Aaron Burr in
1804. George J. Eacker was a promi-
nent militiaman and volunteer fire-
man of New York city at the time of
his early death.

Among the valley sports, after as
before the Revolution, the chief seem
to have been horse racing, foot racing
and ball.

We have the following somewhat
amusing anecdote concerning the
meddling of the clergy with the sports
of the people. At a race on the Sand
Flats at Fonda, the German minister
of Stone Arabia thought it his duty to
protest against race track gamb-
ling, which was the cause of much in-
iquity, so he rode there in his chaise
with that intent. Arriving at the
grounds he had barely commenced his
protest against the evils of the race
course, when a wag, who knew the
parson's horse had been in a former
similar race, rode up saying: "Do-
minie, you have a fine horse there"
and, touching both horses smartly
with his whip, shouted "Go!" and both
animals and drivers started off toward
the minister's home at a racing clip.
Several voices were heard shouting,
"Go it, dominie, we'll bet on your
horse." Before the reverend gentle-
man could pull up his nag both horses
had sped a long way and the Stone
Arabia clergyman, realizing the force
of his remarks had been unavoidably
broken, kept on to his home and was
never again seen at a race course.

Trivial as certain of these accounts
and anecdotes may appear they give
us an insight and understanding of
the people's character and daily life in
the early days of the valley, which no
citation of mere events and figures,
however correct, can picture. They
bring up visions like looking on a
camera obscura, filled with the moving

152

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

figures and backed by the unfamiliar
scenes of a day long passed.

Here is appended a hand bill of
races in Palatine forty years after the
Revolutionary period. However the
character of the pre-Revolutionary
races was, without doubt, similar and
it will give us an idea of what was the
major sport and recreation of our val-
ley ancestors:

"Second Day's Purse, $50 —

"To bo given to the jockey rider,
running two mile heats, winning two
heats out of three; free for any horse,
mare or gelding in the United States.

"The third day a new SADDLE and
BRIDLE, to be given to the jockey
rider running one mile heats, winning
two heats out of three; free for any
three-year-old colt in the United
States.

"Likewise on the last day, a BEA-
VER HAT, worth $10, to be given to
the jockey footman running round the
course in the shortest time. To start
at four o'clock, p. m., on the last day's
running.

"On the first Tuesday in November
next, races will commence on the flats
of George Waggoner in Palatine. The
purses as above, except the hat.
"October 4, 1819.

"A SPORTSMAN."

The foot race did not take place as
a Palatine contestant was sick, and a
purse of $30 was made up for a quar-
ter-mile foot race. William Moyer, a
tailor, and John K. Diell represented
the town of Canajoharie and one Wag-
goner and an unknown man were the
champions of Palatine. The tap of a
drum started them, as was usual then,
and Diell won the sprint by six feet.
The time was 58 seconds, which was
very fast considering the track and
the fact that there were no spiked
shoes in those days.

In 1824 a footrace took place in the
village of Canajoharie for a purse of
$1,000, the runners being David
Spraker of Palatine and Joseph White
of Cherry Valley. The distance of ten
rods was marked off on Montgomery
street and the contestants were started
by David F. Sacia. Spraker won the
prize and the race by three feet. This

race was a topic of general conversa-
tion for a half century afterward.

Games of ball had been popular
sport with the soldiers of the Revo-
lution. We read that the garrison was
playing ball when Fort Schuyler took
fire. This was probably then as later
the game of "town ball." There were
four bases in that game, but, instead
of touching the runner to put him out,
the rule required that, he must be hit
with a thrown ball. There were no
basemen. This game survives, in the
rules of our national sport, in that a
baserunner who is hit by a batted ball
is out.

The modern game of baseball was
invented by a schoolboy of the old
Canajoharie district, Abner Doubleday,
who originated it at Green's school in
Cooperstown, during the Harrison
presidential campaign of 1840. This is
so near to the time dealt with in this
chapter that it is given place here,
particularly as Cooperstown was for
years so closely connected with Fort
Plain, the latter village being its out-
let to the Mohawk valley, by way of
the Otsquago, all the towns along
which route made Fort Plain their
trade center, particularly before the
days of the railroads.

In 1840, a great crowd had gathered
at Cooperstown for a picnic and po-
litical meeting, during the excitement
of this famous campaign. Of course
the boys of the neighborhood of the
school mentioned were present in large
numbers. Young Doubleday (who
later became a U. S. army general) had
been working for some time on a game,
based on "town ball," for the boys to
play at the picnic. American boys
of that time were vastly interested in
all games requiring agility, quick
thinking and athletic prowess and
Doubleday's game took hold like wild-
fire. The New York Evening World,
in June, 1908, had the following re-
garding this truly historic event:

"Young Doubleday was also fond of
town ball, but he saw the opportunity
to make the game more scientific and
for several nights he worked on a new
set of rules and a diagram of the field.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

153

"When the boys assembled that af-
ternoon Doubleday gathered them
around and explained as well as he
could, the points of the new game. He
decided that there must be four bases
ninety feet apart, and the boys imme-
diately began to refer to the game as
'baseball.' The name stuck.

"The rules made by Gen. Doubleday
specified that the ball should be made
of rubber and yarn and covered with
leather. It must weigh about five
ounces and must not be more than
nine inches in circumference. The
weight of the ball and the size of the
hand were taken into consideration in
determining these measurements. The
bat was to be of round wood, and to
be used with both hands. In town ball
the bat was frequently used with one
hand.

"The next thing for the inventor
was to determine the distance between
the bases. After several experiments
it was found that a man would have
to hustle to run 42 [walking] paces or
about 90 feet before a ball of those
dimensions could be returned after
having been driven to the outfield.
Thus it was that 90 feet was fixed as
the distance between the bases. A
proof of Doubleday's wonderful judg-
ment is the fact that, to this cay, the
ball is 'five ounces, 9 inch' and the dis-
tance between the bases is 90 feet.
The underlying principles of baseball
have not been changed one iota since
1840.

"The batters immediately began to
study means by which they could drive
the ball so as to easily make the 90
feet. But there were two sides to that
proposition and the fielders learned to
handle the ball faster so as 1 1 affect
the batsmen. The American boy is
naturally inventive and for 70 years
he has worked, both at the bat and in
the field, to overcome the problem
which was created by Doubleday's
measurements. That constant effort
has made baseball the great national
pastime of America."

All American boys should take pride
in the fact that the leading athletic
game of North America was invented

and virtually perfected by a Coopers-
town schoolboy.

The Mohawk valley has produced a
number of ballplayers of exceptional
ability. A St. Johnsville man is
today (1913) with the New York
National League team as an out-
fielder and a Palatine (Nelliston) na-
tive is manager of the Brooklyn Na-
tional League team, after a long and
successful career as shortstop with
three championship league teams —
New York, Brooklyn and Chicago.
This player, W. F. Dahlen. started his
career on the famous old Institute (C.
L. I.) school team of Fort Plain.

General Abner Doubleday was born
at Ballston Springs, Saratoga county,
June 26, 1819; graduated at West
Point in 1842. He became a captain
of the U. S. army in 1855 and was one
of the garrison of Fort Sumter in 1861.
He was made a brigadier-general of
volunteers Feb., 1862, and a major
general in Nov., 1862. Doubleday was
in the battles of Manassas, South
Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville
and at Gettysburg commanded the
First Corps in the first day's battle
after the death of Gen. Reynolds. He
was breveted a major-general of the
U. S. army and became colonel of in-
fantry in 1867; retired 1873; died 1893.
Gen. Doubleday published "Reminis-
cences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie"
(1876), and "Chancellorsville and Get-
tysburg" (1882).

The historical time covered in this
chapter witnessed the complete dis-
appearance of the Mohawk Iroquois
from his old valley hunting grounds.
At the close of the Revolution a few
friendly or neutral Mohawks and a
small number of individuals of other
tribes remained along the river. There
was a violent but natural prejudice
against all Indians, on the part of the
white population, which caused many
of these natives to move to Canada or
other friendly neighborhoods. By
1840, it is probable that the last of
these remaining valley savages had
died out. As has been previously noted
the majority of the Mohawks left the
valley with the Johnson family, at the

154

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

beginning of Revolutionary hostilities,
and settled in Canada, on the Grand
river. Here they were granted lands
and many of them have become pros-
perous farmers. The Mohawks and
Oneidas have increased greatly in
number and prospered while other
Iroquois tribes have diminished.

According to the U. S. census of
1890 the total Iroquois population of
North America was 45,000, a large
proportion of the Indian inhabitants.
This included, besides the Six Na-
tions, the Cherokees who numbered
28,000 and is the largest tribe of Iro-
quois blood, numbering twice as many
individuals as the New York state Iro-
quois or the Six Nations. The Wyan-
dots, also of the same American In-
dian stock, numbered 689. In the cen-
sus of 1890, the Mohawk population
includes those of that tribe living at
Caughnawaga and Lake of Two Moun-
tain, Quebec, and at Grand River, On-
tario, and the Mohawk, Oneida and
Huron mixed-bloods living at St.
Regis, and those living on other reser-
vations. The great majority are, of
course, resident in Canada. In 1890
the numbers of the Six Nations were
as follows: Mohawks, 6,656; Oneidas,
3,129; Senecas, 3,055; Cayugas, 1,301;
Onondagas, 890; Tuskaroras, 733. To-
tal, 15,664. This is about what the
New York state Iroquois population
was at the time of the Dutch settle-
ment. From a small tribe the Mo-
hawks have risen to the greatest in
numbers, while the Senecas, once the
first, and numliering as many as the
other five tribes combined, have
shrunk so that they now are third in
rank in population. The success of
the Mohawks on their Canadian lands
would suggest that the Indian, under
proper conditions, can make a place
for himself in civilized society.

CHAPTER HI.

1689-1825 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty and the Palatine and Canajoharie
Districts Townships — Life, Trade,
Schools, Development.

This is the first of two chapters
dealing with Western Montgomery

county and treats of the period from
settlement in 1689 to 1825, but princi-
pally of the time from 1784 to 1825.
The second chapter, in the third series,
gives the record from 1825 to 1913.

The succeeding descriptions are in-
tended to portray the state and growth
of trade, traffic and commerce in the
five west end towns of Montgomery
county from their settlement until
about the building of the Erie canal.
The history of these towns is divided
into four periods: of settlement, 1689-
1774; Revolution, 1774-1783; agricul-
tural and highway and river traffic de-
velopment, 1784-1825; development of
commerce, manufacturing and towns,
1825-1913. The beginnings of things
are always interesting and will be
found particularly so in these in-
stances. Names and personalities are
treated which, in later accounts,
must be disregarded on account of the
great growth of the population. While,
prior to the advent of the Erie canal,
we can deal with individuals, in our
later accounts the people must be
treated in classes or as a whole. The
10,000 people in the Mohawk valley and
that of its tributary Schoharie, at
the time of the formation of Tryon
county in 1772, have grown to between
four hundred thousand and a half mil-
lion of human beings. In the five west
end towns of Montgomery where, in
1772, there were prol)ably two or three
thousand white people there are to-
day approximately eighteen thousand.

Dutchtown and Freysbush were the
first Minden sections settled and here
schools were first established by the
German settlers. There was some in-
struction given also at the Reformed
Dutch church at Sand Hill. The cere-
monies at this house of worship in
honor of the memory of Washington
in Dec, 1799, is treated in a separate
chapter which describes this church
as one of the five Revolutionary
churches of Western Montgomery
county. The church and the tavern
were the centers of social life in the
eighteenth century in the valley. The
militia trainings, the part the men of
the Mohawk played in the war of 1812,
the improvement of and traffic on the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

155

Mohawk, highway development and
the inn life along the Mohawk turn-
pike, the construction of the canal
and the railroad, the change of busi-
ness center from Sand Hill to Pros-
pect Hill, and other features of the
life of this period, in Minden, Western
Montgomery county and the Mohawk
valley, are all given space in succeed-
ing chapters.

The greater part of the following is
from Beer's History of Montgomery
and Fulton counties:

Small stores were established in the
different Mohawk valley German set-
tlements soon after they were planted.
They contained small stocks of such
goods as their white neighbors must,
of necessity, have and certain kinds
which their trafHc with the Indians
called for; the latter consisting of
firearms, knives, hatchets, ammuni-
tion, trinkets, brass and copper ket-
tles, scarlet cloth, rum and tobacco.
These, with a few other articles, were
bartered for furs to great advantage,
at least, of the early white storekeep-
ers, who were German or Dutch for
the most part.

The first store, in the town of Min-
den, was established near the Sand
Hill church by William Seeber, a Ger-
man, at the place where for years (the
late) Adam Lipe resided. His store
was opened about 1750 and he traded
here during the French war. As we
have seen he died here of a wound
received at Oriskany, over four months
after that battle in which his two
sons were also killed.

John Abeel settled at Fort Plain
about the middle of the eighteenth
century, shortly after Seeber opened
his store. He probably traded here
also, to what extent is not known. As
the father of Cornplanter, the Seneca
chief, his story is told in a former
chapter.

A few of the trading places were
general stores on a considerable scale
and such a one must have been that
of Isaac Paris jr., during the short
time he traded at Fort Plain. The
size of his store shows that he did a
large business for the eighteenth cen-
tury.

Isaac Paris jr. seems to have follow-
ed SeeVjer, having erected his store in
1786, this being what is now known
as the Bleecker house. Here he re-
sided and traded several years, dying
at an early age. Conrad Gansevoort
came from Schenectady in 1790. He
married Elizabeth, a daughter of John
Roseboom, who also moved up from
Schenectady and settled below Cana-
joharie. Gansevoort built a dwelling
with a store in it on a knoll at the
foot of Sand Hill, on the farm where
the late Seeber Lipe lived. This house
is still standing, just this side of the
Little Woods creek, on the extreme
western edge of Fort Plain. It has
been converted into a double dwelling.
Shortly before 1810 Gansevoort retired
from business and returned to Sche-
nectady. He had been a successful
merchant and was a man much re-
spected in the township. The elevated
road across the flats from the river
ferry met the south shore highway
just in front of Gansevoort's store
and about the year 1800 and shortly
before old Fort Plain or Sand Hill
must have been a lively little hamlet.

Three Oothout brothers, Garret,
Jonas and Volkert, came from Sche-
nectady about the advent of Conrad
Gansevoort. They erected a large
two story building, some fifty feet
long, for a store with a dwelling in its
easterly end. It stood on the river
road, just west of the Sand Hill set-
tlement, about one and a quarter miles
west of the present center of Fort
Plain. "Of the Oothout firm, it is re-
membered that Garret, the oldest and
who was a bachelor, was blind, but re-
markably shrewd with a sense of feeling
so keen that he could readily distin-
guish silver coins, so that no one could
pass a ten-cent piece on him for a
shilling or a pistareen for the quarter
of a dollar." For a number of years,
Gansevoort and the Oothouts had
quite a large trade, the latter firm
wholesaling to some extent. Both of
these firms purchased considerable
wheat, as no doubt their neighbor
Paris did while in trade, which they
sent to Albany, by way of Schenec-
tady, on the river in their own boats.

156

THE STORY OF OTjD FORT PLAIN

Abram Oothout was a younger brother
and with his wife, Gazena DeGraff,
settled on a farm adjoining the store.
In the dwelling, known later as the
Pollock house, his daughter Margaret
was born in 1811. She later became
the second wife of Peter J. Wagner.

Robert McFarlan appears to have
been the next merchant to come to
old Fort Plain, having removed here
in 1798 from Paulet, Vt. He was "a
remarkably smart business man," and
established his store on the opposite
side of the road from the church. He
married a daughter of Major Hause, of
the neighborhood, "which proved a
stroke of good policy, since he not
only got a good wife but also the
trade of her host of relatives and
friends. He also ran an ashory near
Hallsville in connection with his Sand
Hill store. McFarlan at once became
active in the affairs of the section, fill-
ing the positions of justice of the
peace and colonel of the militia." He
is said to "have been not only a fine
looking but a very efficient officer. One
of the few remaining gravestones in
the old Sand Hill cemetery is one
bearing the inscription 'In memory of
Robert McFarlan, Esq., who departed
this life July 14, 1813, in the 49th year
of his age.' "

In 1806 a bridge was erected across
the Mohawk river at the "island,"
near old Fort Plain, superseding the
ferry which was located just below.
This was an important event for this
locality and was duly celebrated. This
structure, together with the one
built at Canajoharie in 1803, were at
that time the only bridges over the
river between Schenectady and Jjittle
Falls. The matter of bridges is treated
later.

About the year 1808, when Conrad
Gansevoort returned to Schenectady,
Henry N. Bleecker, a young man from
Alliany, who had long been his clerk,
succeeded him in liis business. At the
end of a few years he returned and
went to Canajoharie and there mar-
ried Betsey, a daughter of Philip R.
Frey and granddaughter of Col. Hen-
drick Frey. She "is said to have been
the prettiest of three fine looking sis-

ters." Here Bleecker settled and died
at an early age on the Frey farm.
David Lipe and Rufus Firman suc-
ceeded Bleecker and are supposed to
have been the last merchants to oc-
cupy the Gansevoort store.

A year or two after the death of Mc-
Farlan, John A. Lipe and Abraham
Dievcndorff began to trade in the Mc-
Farlan building. They soon separated
and Henry Dievendorff joined his
In-other Abraham in trade at thi.s store,
liipe fitted up a store on the same side
of the street but closer to the church,
which his son, Conrad IJpe, occupied
until the year 1819, when he died, his
father continuing the business for
some time after. A postoffice was es-
tablished at Sand Hill in 1816, with
Conrad Lipe as postmaster, and as, at
that time, there were three or four
merchants located there, the only
church in Canajoharie or Minden near
tlie river, and a i)ridge across the Mo-
hawk, the settlement must have been
a place of considerable life for the
period.

About 1820, the Dievendorff brothers
erected a store near the Erie canal
which was then being constructed,
hoping to bo benefited by the canal
trade. This l)uilding stood near the
premises, formerly occupied by Wil-
liam Clark on Upper Canal street. It
was a long, yellow two-story building,
the upper floor being used for a public
hall. Preaching was held in this room
and it was also the scene of dances
and other social occasions. One of
these was the marriage of the Peter
J. Wagner aforementioned to Mar-
garet Oothout in 1823. In connection
with their business, the Dievendorffs
ran a distillery. They failed and were
succeeded by David Dievendorff, a son
of Henry, who had long been a clerk
for his father and uncle. He also
failed. About 1828, as the business
part of the young village was de-
stined to be lower down, the Dieven-
dorff block was removed to the site of
the present brick stores occupied by
H. E. Shinaman and Lipe & Pardee.
John R. Dygert and John Roth suc-
ceeded the Dievendorff Bros, in the
Sand Hill section and after a little

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

157

time Solomon H. Meyer bought out
Roth. A few years hiter Dygert &
Moyer removed to a store erected by
Dygert at the canal bridge, where
Wood, Clark & Co. were in business
for so many years and which is now
occupied by William Linney. Many
of the Sand Hill or old Fort Plain
buildings have been destroyed by fire
or demolished within the last quarter
century (prior to 1913).

Before 1805 it is said there were
few buildings on the site of the pres-
ent village of Fort Plain. It must be
remembered that several of the build-
ings aforementioned, including the
fort and blockhouse, were within the
present limits of the village at its
western end. Isaac Soule kept a tav-
ern here as early as 1804. In 1805 Jo-
seph Wagner settled on a farm, occu-
pying a large part of the site of pres-
ent Fort Plain, and in 1806 he put up
a small public house which was kept
as such until 1850. It then became a
residence and is still standing and
owned by Andrew Dunn. In 1807 Dr.
Joshua Webster and Jonathan Stick-
ney, settlers who came here from New
England, built a tannery on the east
side of the old Otsquago creek chan-
nel. This was constructed from the
material in the old Governor Clarke
mansion which had long been aban-
doned and had the reputation of being
a "haunted house." John C. Lipe op-
ened a store in Soule's tavern in 1808,
there also being a tailor shop in the
building. Dr. Webster was the first
physician, having come here in 1797
from Scarboro, Maine. Peter J. Wag-
ner was the first lawyer and he also
represented old Montgomery county in
congress. Before and shortly after the
completion of the Erie canal many busi-
ness houses were established in Fort
Plain and when the village was in-
corporated in 1822 practically the en-
tire business of old P^'ort Plain or Sand
Hill had removed to the present center.
The first hatter in the present village
was William A. Haslet, who estab-
lished a store in 1826. Harvey E. Wil-
liams opened the first hardware store
in 1827. S. N. S. Gant establi.shed the
Fort Plain Watch Tower, the first

newspaper, in 1828. This became, by
various changes The Mohawk Valley
Register. Numerous other professional
and business men established them-
selves in Fort Plain in the five years
after the completion of the Erie canal
in 1825.

John Warner came into Freysbush
as a successful Yankee schoolmaster,
and, about 1810, he opened a store. In
1825 he built the store (now occupied
by the Co-operative store), which was
the second store devoted to dry goods
in Fort Plain. Henry P. Voorhees had
built the first in 1824 on the bank of
the creek. This building formed the
back part of what was for a long
period the Lipe and Mereness crock-
ery establishments. In those days be-
fore aqueducts were in use on the
canal, the creek water was dammed
back, and, on a bridge over the Ots-
quago, the canal horses drew the
boats across the creek. This set back
the water up the channel of the stream
and canal boats then unloaded mer-
chandise and grain on the docks (re-
mains of which may be seen) at the
back of the Main street stores.

Robert Hall moved from Washing-
ton county about 1800 and followed the
trade of a pack peddler through the
Mohawk valley. He settled about 1810
at the site of Hallsville, which bears
his name. He, with two men named
John White and Cooper, built a store
and tavern. Later Hall bought out his
partners and continued the business
alone. He had an extensive business,
at one time having four stores run-
ning in the county, besides a brew-
ery, an ashery and distillery, and he
also owned a grist mill in Herkimer
county. General trainings were fre-
quently held at his place and elections
were held at the tavern. Hall served
in the war of 1812 as captain and was
stationed at Sackett's Harbor during
the war. Du/ing the early part of 1800
bands of Mohawk Indians frequently
camped at this place. Robert Hall was
a member of the state legislature and
was interested in the establishment of
the Fort Plain National bank.

Whipping posts and stocks were not
only to be seen in nearly every town

158

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

in New England at the beginning- of
the nineteenth century, but also in all
the older settlements of New York.
They were designed to punish petty
thefts, for which from ten to fifty
lashes were inflicted, according to the
magnitude of the crime and its attend-
ant circumstances. They were prob-
ably in use at Amsterdam, Caughna-
waga, Stone Arabia and Herkimer and
they are known to have been located
at Johnstown, Fort Hunter, Freysbush
and old Fort Plain or Sand Hill. The
Freysbush post stood on the site of
the cheese factory. One of the last
punishments of that kind in this sec-
tion was meted out to Jacob Cramer
at the Freysbush post. John Rice, a
constable of the then town of Canajo-
harie, gave the culprit thirty-nine
lashes on his bare back for stealing a
wash of clothes. This custom of pun-
ishment has long been obsolete, but
there seemed to have been times when
immediate penalty for petty offenses,
inflicted in this way, saved a bill of
expense if it did not actually lessen
crime.

In ISIO the Seneca chief Cornplanter,
son of John Abeel of Sand Hill, paid a
visit to his relatives at Fort Plain and
to the scenes of the murderous Indian
raid in which he had been engaged
with Brant some thirty years before.
Simms gives the following account of
this event:

"The Hon. Peter J. Wagner, a grand-
son on the mother's side of John
Abeel, well remembers a visit of Corn-
planter to his relatives at Fort Plain.
He places the visit in the fall of about
1810. The noted chieftain then came
here, in his native dress of feather and
plume, on his way to Albany, attended
by several other Indian chiefs. The
party was first entertained at the
house of Joseph AVagner, the father
of informant, whose wife was a half-
sister of the distinguished chief, who
received at her hands that kind and
courteous attention which his reputa-
tion justly entitled him to expect. The
distinguished guests also found the
fatted calf prepared for them at Nich-
olas Dygert's; his wife being a sister
of Mrs. Wagner [and a half-sister of

the Seneca chief]. Indeed, they were
made to feel equally at home at Jacob
Abeel's, at the homestead — his father,
John Abeel having then been dead
more than a dozen years. His widow
was living with her son and exerted
herself to make her home one of com-
fort and hospitality for the red men.
These guests were here several days,
and Cornplanter was so handsomely
treated by his kinsfolk, that he must
have carried home a grateful recollec-
tion of his visit. He was then judged
nearly six feet high and well propor-
tioned. He appeared in attire and or-
nament as the representative man of
his nation, and well did he sustain the
role of his national reputation. Many
people in this vicinity then saw the
celebrated Cornplanter, who never
gave his white relatives cause to blush
for anj' known act of his life, and his
visit has ever been treasured as a
bright spot in the memory of his
friends."

The following relates to life, trade
and the general early development of
the townships of Canajoharie:

Johannes Roof had kept a tavern at
Fort Svanwix and, when that post was
threatened by St. Leger in 1777, he
moved down the Mohawk to Canajo-
harie where he also conducted a public
house during the Revolution and for
some years thereafter. When the army
under Clinton rendezvoused here, pre-
paratory to crossing to Otsego lake.
Gen. James Clinton boarded with Roof.
The accommodations of the tavern
were rather meagre, but ale, spirits,
sauerkraut, Dutch cheese, bread and
maple sugar generally abounded. A
more modern tavern was later erected
in front of the stone inn. It was called
the "Stage House" and had a coach and
four horses painted on its front. It
was kept in 1826 by Reuben Peake and
later by Elisha Kane Roof. The stages
ran to Cherry Valley and originally
had two horses. In 1844, four-horse
stages, carrying mail and passengers,
began running to Cherry Valley and
Cooperstown, leaving the Eldridge
house daily. This line was kept up for

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

159

about twenty years. Washington is
said to have stopped at Roof's house in
1783. It was of stone rubble work
22x38 feet and a story and a half high,
with gable end to the public square.
This building was bought of Henry
Schremling by John (Johannes) Roof.
Martin Roof, a brother of Johannes,
was a druggist at an early day in Can-
ajoharie and one of its first postmas-
ters, also an acting justice of the peace.
It is said that the Roofs were so prom-
inent here that at one time the early
settlement was called Roof's village.
They kept tavern here until after 1795.
When Roof came here in 1777 it is said
there were not more than half a dozen
houses on the site of Canajoharie vil-
lage.

Henry Schremling conducted a grist
mill near the site of Arkell & Smiths'
dam, in the latter part of the eigh-
teenth century. The first grist mill on
Canajoharie creek was erected by Gose
Van Alstine about 1760. It was a
wooden building and stood on the east
bank of the stream about 30 rods from
the end of the gorge leading to the
falls. From here, near the original
"Canajoharie," or the big pothole in the
creek's bed, the water is said to have
been conveyed to it in a race course.
About 1815 the mill burned down and
Mrs. Isaac Flint, who, among the ig-
norant, weak-minded and supersti-
tious, was considered a witch, was ac-
cused of setting it on fire. Learning
that she was in danger of being ar-
rested, she hung herself. Nathaniel
Conkling, an uncle of Senator Roscoe
Conkling, was the coroner who called
the inquest. Instead of the poor vic-
tim of superstition it is probable that
a relative of the mill owners was the
culprit. The old stone miller's dwell-
ing which adjoined the mill was after
occupied as Lieber's cooper shop for
the manufacture of flour barrels, and
was also burned in 1828.

In 1817, a short distance below this
site, a stone mill was erected by Goert-
ner and Lieber. At this place they also
had a sawmill, distillery, fulling mill
and carding machine. For some time
a large business was done here, in-

cluding much of the milling for the
towns of Palatine, Root and Charles-
ton as well as Canajoharie. In 1838
these mills were burned and never re-
built. Henry Lieber and his brother,
John, on coming to America at the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century were
sold into servitude to pay their pass-
age from Germany — a custom long in
vogue and of which many immigrant
people without means availed them-
selves. Henry Lieber, on becoming his
own master, first learned the weaver's
trade, and then became a pack peddler.
He next had a small store in Freys-
bush, then one in Newville and then
became established in trade at Cana-
joharie, just before the advent of the
canal.

The second grist mill on Canajoharie
creek was built about 1770, by Col.
Hendrick Frey, from whom Freysbush
took its name and who was a noted
Tory during the Revolution. Thig"
place was known as the Upper Mill
and was forty or fifty rods from the
Van Alstine mill. It stood at the base
of the high land on the west side of
the stream near the mouth of the
gorge. Col. Frey was an extensive
landholder and, in disposing of farms
in Freysbush, he stipulated that the
buyers should have their milling done
at his mill. Near it was his stone
dwelling, where he lived during the
war. Henry Frey Cox inherited this
property, in 1812 from his grandfather.
Col. Frey, and with it about 750 acres
of land mostly heavily timbered.
Much of this timber John A. Ehle, who
erected a store house, sawmill and dry
dock below Canajoharie village, on the
canal at its completion, sawed up and
took to tidewater in boats of his own
construction; thus, for several years,
giving employment to a large • number
of men.. The Upper Mill property be-
came the property in 1828 of Harvey
St. John and Nicholas Van Alstine and
for several years they manufactured
flour for the New York market, work-
ing up most of the wheat raised in
this and several adjoining towns. The
property passed through a good many
hands until 1849 when the mill was
burned down and never rebuilt, and

160

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the stone house was burned only eight
days after the mill.

The first trader after the war, in the
present town of Canajoharie, was Wil-
liam Beekman, who located near Van
Alstine's ferry, a mile east of (present)
Canajoharie village in 1788. In a few
years he moved to Sharon and became
the pioneer merchant of that town. On
the organization of Schoharie county
in 1795 he was appointed the first
judge of the common pleas bench,
which position he held for nearly forty
years. He was succeeded in his busi-
ness at Canajoharie by Barent Rose-
l)Qom & Brothers, John and Abraham.
Philip Van Alstine later became sole
partner with Barent Roseboom, the
firm occupying a store on the east side
of Canajoharie creek, and within the
present village limits, which then con-
tained scarcely a dozen houses.

The Kane brothers, seven in num-
ber, came into Canajoharie very soon
after the advent of Beekman, probably
about 1790, and at first established
themselves in business in the old stone
dwelling of Philip Van Alstine, which
was erected about 1750 and later be-
came known as Fort Rensselaer. It is
still standing and tradition has it that
Washington was here on his valley trip
in 1783. The firm was known as John
Kane & Brothers, but whether a'l of
them were interested is not known.
They were a family of smart young
men and soon made their store the
leading one. in this section, so that, for
a time, much of the trade of the Her-
kimer county settlements centered
here. These brothers were John, Elias,
Charles, Elisha, Oliver, James and
Archibald. Before long they built a
stone dwelling with an arched roof at
Martin Van Alstine's ferrv', a mile east
of Canajoharie. This ferry had been
in operation some time before the Rev-
olution. At this place James and Ar-
chibald Kane continued to trade until
about 1805. Probably no business firm
in the valley ever before became so
widely known. In 1799 their purchases
of potash and wheat amounted to
$120,000. On leaving Canajoharie
these famous brothers separated
widely, John going to New York, Elias

and James to Albany, Elisha to Phila-
delphia, Oliver to Rhode Island,
Charles to Glens Falls and Archibald
to Hayti, where he married a sister of
the black ruler of the country and
where he afterward shortly died. The
Kane dwelling came to be called the
"round top," as it had a hip in its roof,
w^hich was covered with sheet lead. A
little canal which led from the Kane
store to the river was long visible.

The war of the Revolution, as all
wars do, inaugurated a dissolute per-
iod of drinking, gambling and horse-
racing, which lasted for years and was
at its height at the time of the Kanes.
Their house became the rendezvous for
card players and a quarrel over stakes
occurred on one occasion, resulting in
a duel, April 18, 1801, in the small pine
grove on the hill west of the Kane
house. Barent Roseboom wounded
Archibald Kane in the right arm. Dr.
Webster of Fort Plain was Kane's sur-
geon and charged him 10s — .$1.25 — for
each of his half-dozen visits but one
for which the charge was 8s. The doc-
tor lived four miles from his patient
and the moderateness of his charges is
said to have been characteristic of the
man.

About 1805 Henry Nazro had a store
in the present limits of Canajoharie
village. In a few years he was suc-
ceeded by Abram Wemple, a good bus-
iness man and a captain of a com-
pany of militia cavalry. He is reputed
to have been a "tall, handsome, and
resolute officer, and died, greatly la-
mented, about 1815." His father was
with him in business in "the yellow
building" vacated by Barent Roseboom.
Joseph Failing succeeded as store-
keeper in this place, when Wemple
moved his business across the creek,
in a new store which he built. Usher
joined Failing and in 1817 one of the
numerous fires, which afflicted Cana-
joharie in the nineteenth century,
wiped out the old Roseboom store in
which they were doing business. Fail-
ing also kept a tavern here. The
Abram Wemple store was occupied in
1826 by the somewhat eccentric Dick
Bortle. Here at his opening he fixed
up a lot of bottles with colored liquids

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

161

to make a notable liquor show and
here he kept a saloon. "He drew an
easy fiddle bow, spun an inimitable
yarn, and could gracefully entertain
any guest from a beggar to a prince."

James B. Alton, came from Ames
and kept a store and public house but
failed before the Erie canal was com-
pleted. In 1821 Herman I. Ehle began
business and in 1824 erected his store
on the canal. Henry Lieber establish-
ed himself here about 1822 and, in con-
nection with his mills did a consider-
able business. He built several canal
boats for his own traffic and one, the
"Prince Orange," was the first of the
class called lake boats constructed in
this part of the state. It was built in
1826 and was launched at the site of
the brick brewery and malt house
built by Lieber in 1827. This building
went in the great fire of 1877. One of
the industries of this period, removed
to Canajoharie from Palatine Bridge,
was a furnace for plow and other cast-
ings, the firm being Gibson, Johnson &
Ehle. Herman I. Ehle, with whom the
historian J. R. Simms, later of Fort
Plain, was for two years a clerk and
afterward a partner, was for a num-
ber of years known as one of the best
dry goods dealers in Central New York.
John Taylor moved to Canajoharie, as
a partner of Ehle in 1827. Edward H.
Winans was in business in the village
then. The above comprises what is
known of the business life of Cana-
joharie village at about the eventful
and trade booming period of the con-
struction of the Erie canal.

Canajoharie's first physician was Dr.
Jonathan Eights, who removed to Al-
bany before 1820. To represent the
legal profession, the village had in its
earliest days Roger Dougherty and
Alfred Conkling, father of Senator
Roscoe Conkling, and a little later,
Nicholas Van Alstine, a native of the
locality.

The first school in the present town
of Canajoharie, stood on Seebers Lane,
a mile and a half southwest of Cana-
joharie village, and the district was
styled "No. 1, in and for the town of
Canajoharie" when the common school
system was adopted.

About 1797 a grist mill, a sawmill
and a wheelwright's shop were set in
operation at Ames in the town of Can-
ajoharie. A pottery and nail factory
followed. Russell and Mills were the
first merchants of Ames, beginning
business about 1800.

Jacob Ehle and James Knox, his
brother-in-law, settled at Mapletown, in
Canajoharie township, in 1791, paying
$2.62% per acre for their lands. Mr.
Ehle built his house on the old Indian
trail from Canajoharie to New Dor-
lach (Sharon Springs) and, in clear-
ing his lands he left all the promising
hard maple trees. This "sugar bush"
gave the settlement its name.

Marshville, in the town of Canajo-
harie, was the site of a sawmill built
at an early day by one of the Seeber
family. Stephen and Henry Garlock
later operated this property. At this
place one Joe Carley did the horse and
ox shoeing for a large circle of the
country, being near the main route to
Cherry Valley. Carley flourished after
the war of 1812, during the "shinplas-
ter" period. Some sheep were stolen
from a farmer named Goertner and the
thief was traced to a nearby dwelling,
where bones and horns were found
under a floor. Shortly after manu-
script shinplasters appeared purport-
ing to be issued by "The Muttonville
Bank, Joe Carley, President" and "pay-
able in good merchantable mutton."
Hence came the name "Muttonville,"
by which the little hamlet is some-
times called.

The following gives an idea of how
matters stood with the smaller far-
mers and poorer classes of this sec-
tion at about the year 1800. Beer's
History tells of an interview with Mrs.
Bryars of Ames, whose family were
early settlers of that place. "In her
mother's time, the neighbors would
live for six weeks in succession with-
out bread, subsisting upon potatoes,
butter and salt. Barns were so scarce
that grain had to be hauled many
miles to be threshed; hence farmers
put off the job until they had finished
sowing their winter grain, living with-
out breadstuffs rather than lose the
time necessary for threshing. Mrs.

162

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Bryars was married in petticoat and
short gown and Mr. Bryars in linen
pantaloons [and it is presumed a coat
and shirt]; neither wore shoes or
stockings. Philip Button of Ames,
says that his grandfather, Jonah
Phelps, cleared the place where But-
ton lives and that he used to carry
his grist on his back two and a half
miles to Sharon Springs. He made
his first payment ($10) on his place by
burning potash. Mr. Button's great-
grandfather, Benjamin Button, was for
five years a soldier in the American
army of the Revolution. Being grant-
ed a furlough of three days he walked
seventy miles between sunrise and
sunset to his home. He remained
there one day and walked back to his
regiment the next."

The town of Root is today a beau-
tiful and fertile agricultural section.
Business and trade have always taken
second place to the important work
of farming. Its business development
occurred mostly at and after the build-
ing of the Erie canal which is the limit
of the period of trade growth we are
considering.

Before the canal period, John Mc-
Kernon had established a store in
Currytown. He retired from this bus-
iness and about 1820 was engaged in
the work of building a bridge across
the Mohawk in this town at the point
now known as Randall.

A mill was built before this date on
Yatesville creek (the Wasontha).
About a mile below Rural Grove, oc-
curs what is known as Vrooman's
Falls, a perpendicular cataract of
about twenty-flve feet, which, when
the stream is in full flow, is a most
attractive spectacle. Here stood Vroo-
man's grist mill and his name has been
perpetuated in the natural water
power that turned his mill wheel. The
building was carried off bodily by a
flood in 1813 and dashed to pieces
against a large elm.

Only the half of the town of Root,
west of the Big Nose, was in the old
Canajoharie district» but the whole
town is included in the accounts in
these sketches.

Palatine is the oldest section settled
by whites in old Tryon county. Hen-
drick Frey located in the wilderness at
now Palatine Bridge in 1689, as before
stated and here came the Palatine im-
migrants at some time about 1711 or
1712. Minden seems to have been set-
tled in the Dutchtown and Freysbush
sections a few years after, in 1720, and
St. Johnsville about that time or a
few years later. Canajoharie, Dan-
ube, Root and Manheim were then
colonized by Germans and a few
Dutch within a comparatively short
time. Prior to the Revolution, there
were storekeepers or traders as they
were called in the Palatine settle-
ments. The latter town has always
been a strictly agricultural commun-
ity. Fox's mills on the Caroga were
burned in the Stone Arabia raid of
1780. Major Schuyler rebuilt mills on
this stream about 1784. Major Jellis
Fonda had a mill on the Canagara
creek, near the present county home
(the old Schenck place). About 1800,
on the improvement of the Mohawk
(north shore) turnpike, many taverns
sprang up in Palatine, along this route,
which formed a considerable indus-
try. The first postoffice in the
town was established at Palatine
Church in 1813. It is said that,
during the war of 1812, when a person
wished to send a letter to a valley
friend or relative with the American
army at Sackett's Harbor, he left it
at any hotel on the turnpike. The
landlord would then hand it to any
teamster going that way, "who would
carry it as far as he went on the road,
and then pass it to another of his craft
and in that way it would [possibly]
eventually reach its destination." The
first brewery in Palatine was erected
about 1800 by a German named Moyer.
It was situated about a mile north of
Stone Arabia and was in operation only
a few years.

In regard to the schools of Pala-
tine, Beer's History says: "Until
after the close of the Revolutionary
war German was the prevailing lan-
guage and, probably without an excep-
tion, the schools prior to that date
were taught in the German tongue.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

163

Soon after the restoration of peace,
people from New England began to
settle here, followed immediately by
the innovation of the 'Yankee school-
master.' Among the early teachers of
English schools in the town were John
Martin and men named Crookenburg
and Mackey. The former [Martin]
taught in the vicinity of Oswegatchie
about 1795 and a building was subse-
quently erected for his school. It was
finished with living apartments in one
end and a school room in the other.
He was succeeded by his son in the
early nineteenth century. Mackey
taught about 1795 near Stone Arabia
and Crookenburg kept school near
Palatine Church."

The first school commissioners and
inspectors of schools were elected, in
accordance with a new act of the leg-
islature in April, 1813. They were
Abraham Sternburgh, Henry J. Frey
and John Quilhart, commissioners;
and John J. Nellis, John I. Cook, Rich-
ard Young, Jost A. Snell and Har-
manus Van Slyck, inspectors. The
town was first divided into school dis-
tricts— eleven in number, Dec. 7, 1814,
by David T. Zielley, Andrew Gray and
Chauncey Hutchinson, school commis-
sioners. In the spring of 1815, a redi-
vision was made, creating in all seven-
teen districts. It will be remembered
that at that time (and until the forma-
tion of Fulton from Montgomery
county in 1838) Palatine embraced the
present town of Ephratah. There are
now twelve well-apportioned districts,
a few of which are fractional, and
eleven schoolhouses within its limits.

A union academy, the first within
the present boundaries of Montgom-
ery county, was established at Stone
Arabia and incorporated by the Re-
gents of the University, March 31, 1795,
as "The Union Academy of Palatine."
The only records obtainable relating
to this institution, are in connection
with the Reformed church of that
place. At a meeting of the consistory,
held January 24, 1795, composed of
Rev. D. Christian Peck, pastor; Henry
Loucks and Christian Fink, elders and
John Snell and Dietrich Coppernoll,
deacons, it was "resolved that the five

acres of church land of the Reformed
Dutch church of Stone Arabia, which
are not given to the present minister
as a part of his salary, shall be given
and presented to the use and benefit
of the Union Academy to be erected
at Stone Arabia." On the 14th of No-
vember, 1795, the board of trustees,
through their president, Charles New-
kirk, asked and obtained permission
from the consistory of the Reformed
church to occupy their school house
(which appears to have been a part of
the parsonage which had been used for
school purposes), for one year for the
use of the academy.

John Nifher was probably its first
principal and its teacher of English.
The academy building was a two-story
frame structure, erected by subscrip-
tion and completed in 1799. Its site
was immediately opposite the Reform-
ed church. Fire destroyed it about
1807 and it was never rebuilt.

Directly after the Revolution, prob-
ably in the summer of the years be-
tween 1784 and 1786, Molly Brant, with
two of her grown up children, came
down from Canada to recover prop-
erty willed them in Philadelphia Bush.
One of the children was George John-
son, who was of a dark complexion
and the other was the wife of Dr. Carr,
late a surgeon in the British army.
They all visited Major Philip Schuyler
at Palatine Church, where he was
erecting mills on Caroga creek. Fox's
mills there having been burned by the
enemy. Mills were rebuilt on the op-
posite side of the creek. Maj. Schuy-
ler was one of the commissioners ap-
pointed to look after such claims as
those of Molly Brant and her children.
The heirs were too young to forfeit
their inheritance and recovered pay
for lands now in Mayfield and Perth.
While at Schuyler's, the party con-
versed in the Mohawk dialect, except
Dr. Carr. Mrs. Schuyler, when night
came on, was quite perplexed to know
how to dispose of her guests, as the
carpenters and millwrights were oc-
cupying all of her beds. Molly Brant
set her at ease by assuring her that
they would care for themselves and
spreading their blankets on the floor,

164

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

they camped down in true Indian
style, to Mrs. Schuyler's great relief.

In 1784, Moses Van Camp worked
for Garret Walrath, who had a black-
smith shop in Palatine about half a mile
westward from the Fort Plain depot
and near the ferry of that day. While
trying to drive away some Indians,
who were stealing Walrath's potatoes,
one of the savages threatened Van
Camp with a knife whereupon the
blacksmith killed him with a hammer.
The Palatine man narrowly escaped a
tomohawk hurled at him, by a brother
of his victim, at P"'ort Stanwix a year
or two later.

In 1836 a monument was erected
over the grave of Col. Brown in Stone
Arabia by his son, Henry Brown of
Berkshire, Mass., and on the 19th day
of October, 1836, a meeting was held
at the burial place in honor of the
event and of the patriot's memory. A
large assemblage was present and in-
cluded some veterans of the Stone
Arabia action. A sermon was preach-
ed by Rev. Abraham Van Home of
Caughnawaga, and a patriotic address
was delivered by Gerrit Roof of Cana-
joharie (a grandson of Johannes Roof,
the Revolutionary patriot). In a por-
tion of his speech Roof addressed the
veterans as follows:

"I see before me a little remnant of
those intrepid spirits who fought in
the memorable engagement of October
19, 1780. Fifty-six years ago this day
you battled with greatly superior num-
bers, consisting of British regulars,
loyalists and savages. Venerable pa-
triots, we bid you welcome this day!
In the name of your country, we
thank you for the important services
you rendered in the dark hours of her
tribulation. Be assured they will be
held in grateful remembrance while the
Mohawk shall continue to wind its
course through yonder rich and fertile
valley. They will be the theme of
praise long after the marble, erected
this day to the memory of your brave
commander, shall have crumbled to
dust. Fifty-six years ago, this day,
these hills resounded with the din of

arms and the roar of musketry. Look
yonder! The field — the field is before
us — the field on which the heroic
Brown poured out his life's blood in
defense of his country. You fought
by his side. You saw him as he fell,
covered with wounds and with face to
the foe. * * * His was that bravery
that quailed not before tyranny, and
that feared not death. His was the
patriotism that nerves the arm of the
warrior, battling for the liberties of
his country, and leads him on to the
performance of deeds of glory."

The town of St. Johnsville was set-
tled about 1725. It was part of Pala-
tine until 1808 and its early history,
both as to events and commerce, is
largely that of the older town. The
first settlement at the village of St.
Johnsville was made in 1776 by Jacob
Zimmerman, who built the first grist
mill in the town soon after. George
Klock built another in ISOl. David
Quackenbush erected the third grist
mill in 1804. This became later the
Thumb iron foundry and the saw and
planing mill of Thumb & Flanders. In
1825 James Averill built a stone grist
mill and distillery. Christopher Nellis
kept a tavern at St. Johnsville in 1783
and a store in 1801. The foregoing are
the industries that the writer has
knowledge of which were located at St.
Johnsville prior to the completion of
the Erie canal in 1825.

Henry Hayes taught a German
school at an early day and Lot Ryan,
an Irishman, taught the first English
school in 1792.

Danube and Manheim were included
in Western Montgomery county u]j to
1817. They were and are agricultural
towns. The development of Dolgeville
came at a period later than that herein
described. In 1817 the eastern boun-
dary of Herkimer county was moved
from Fall Hill to East Creek and the
old Canajoharie and Palatine districts
towns were divided between two coun-
ties.

THE STOKY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

165

CHAPTER IV.

The Five Revolutionary Churches of
Western Montgomery County — Other
Revolutionary Churches in Mont-
gomery and Fulton Counties and in
Danube and Manheim.

The first Reformed Dutch church
of Canajoharie (now the Reformed
church of Fort Plain) was erected in
1750 on Sand Hill, a little above the
Abeel place, on the Dutchtown road.
The Germans who, about 1720, settled
the town of Minden, at first located
principally in the Dutchtown section.
The road through t'hat section led
down to the river at Sand Hill where
there was a ferry. The road across
the flats (raised several feet to make
it passable in times of flood), to this
crossing of the Mohawk, is still plainly
visible. At this central point would
be a natural gathering place of the
people and here the German frontiers-
men erected the first known house of
worship in the Canajoharie district.
Of this church, Rev. A. Rosencrantz
was the pastor for the first eight
years. This building was of wood and
stood in a sightly spot on the westerly
side of the Dutchtown road, in front
of the burial ground still to be seen
(1913), surrounded by its dying grove
of ancient pine trees. As previously
told the church was burned in the In-
dian raid of 1780, after which services
were held in a barn that stood on the
old William Lipe farm in a ravine,
through which the road ran from the
river ferry up the hill to the gate of
old Fort Plain. This old barn was
torn down and a new one erected on
its site in 1859. An old dwelling
standing below it was over a century
old when it was demolished in 1875 to
give place to the present one of brick.
These buildings, with several others,
were so near the fort that the enemy
never ventured to injure them. An-
other one so protected was an old
house which was torn down by Har-
vey E. Williams when he built the
present large brick dwelling on upper
Canal street about 1870.

A new church edifice, erected on the
site of the old one at the close of the

war, was also constructed of wood,
and was a large and well proportioned
building, with a small half-round pul-
pit having a short uncushioned bench
for its seat that would accommodate
only one sitter; while over the domi-
nie's head was a dangerous looking
sounding board. The church had a
gallery on three sides and was topped
by a steeple without a bell. It was
built by contract by Peter March for
£1,000 ($2,500 at that time). A light-
ning rod on the building having be-
come broken, it was struck during a
storm and considerable damage was
done.

General Washington died Dec. 14,
1799, and his death was solemnly
observed at this church, as at many
others throughout the land. As a
number of days was then necessary to
spread the news of important events
throughout the land, the funeral cere-
monies did not take place until the
latter part of December, 1799. The
weather was cold, but there was little
snow on the ground and the gathering
of people was immense. The church
was beautifully decorated with ever-
greens and crepe and was literally
packed with an interested audience.
The Rev. Isaac Labaugh officiated and
his discourse was afterward published.
Led in a procession was a caparisoned
horse with holsters upon the saddle,
to which was also attached a pair of
boots, indicating the loss of a soldier.
This was the custom at the funeral of
an officer, or cavalryman. Where the
procession formed is not known but
probably at the tavern of Nicholas
Dygert, then located next beyond the
Christian Bellinger place, westward of
the church. This was perhaps the
most important and imposing observ-
ance of Washington's death witnessed
in the Mohawk valley, and not a few
were there assembled who saw the
national leader on* his visit to Fort
Plain in the summer of 1783, sixteen
years before, when his excursion ex-
tended to Fort Schuyler and up the
OtsQuago valley to Cherry Valley and
from thence to the foot of Otsego lake
at the present site of Cooperstown.

166

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Following the first pastor of the
first Reformed Dutch church of Cana-
joharie, Rev. A. Rosencrantz, came
Rev. Ludwig Luppe, Rev. Kennipe,
Rev. J. L. Broeffle, Dr. John Daniel
Gros (1776 (?)-1788), Rev. A. Christian
Diedrich Peck (1788 to 1796), Dr. John
Daniel Gros (1796 to 1800), Rev. Isaac
Labaugh (from 1800 to 1803 pastor of
the Reformed churches of Fort Plain,
Stone Arabia and Sharon), Rev. J. I.
Wack (1803 to 1816). Dominie Kennipe
was mercilessly beaten one day, as he
was riding along the river, by his fel-
low traveler, a hard man named Diel.
"The minister would not prosecute but
appealed to God, and, strange to say,
both men died on the same night."
Dominie Peck is described as "a portly
man, an amateur equestrian, who left
behind him the reputation of an un-
surpassed orator." Great congrega-
tions thronged to hear him. Dr. Gros
was "a man of considerable learning
who had been professor of moral phil-
osophy in Columbia college," New
York city. Dominie Wack was an
army chaplain in the war of 1812 and
"a man of commanding personal ap-
pearance." The Reformed church at
Sand Hill ceased to exist when the
church society moved to its present
site in Fort Plain and erected a church
in 1834. This event practically marks
the end of Sand Hill or old Fort Plain,
the new canal town of that name tak-
ing up its story.

The Reformed church of Stone Ara-
bia was the oldest church west of
Schenectady, having been formed by
Rev. John Jacob Ehle in 1711. Ehle
was Reformed minister for this section
and his services were conducted in
German. A log church was first erect-
ed about 1711 on the lot now occupied
by the Lutheran church. In 1733 the
joint Lutheran and Reformed societies
erected a frame church where the Re-
formed house of worship now is lo-
cated. A disagreement arose as to the
denomination of the new church and
the Lutherans withdrew to the log
church. Dominie Ehle was followed
by Rev. Johannes Schuyler (1743-1751),
Rev. Armilo Wernig (1751-1758), Rev.

Abraham Rosencrantz (1759-1769).
Rev. Mr. Rosencrantz at first preached
only at Schoharie and Stone Arabia,
but later had charge also of the Re-
formed churches of Canajoharie (at
Fort Plain), St. Johnsville and Ger-
man Flatts, supervising, in that way,
the religious instruction of almost the
entire western Mohawk valley popula-
tion of the Reformed faith. His salary
at Stone Arabia was £70 annually,
paid promptly as the receipts show,
and from all the churches his salary
must have been considerable for that
time. He came to this country from
Germany when a young man and mar-
ried a sister of General Herkimer. He
later settled at German Flats, where
he died in 1794 and was buried under
the Reformed church there. From
1769 to 1787 Stone Arabia church seems
to have been without a pastor, al-
though supplied occasionally by Do-
minie Gross of the Fort Plain church
and by Dominie Rosenkrantz. The
Stone Arabia Dutch Reformed church
as well as that of the Lutherans was
burned by the Tory and Indian force
under Johnson and Brant, Oct. 19, 1780.
After the Revolution a frame building
was erected. In 1788 Rev. D. C. A.
Peck was called and a new stone
church was built at a cost of $3,378,
which was considered at that time the
best church building west of Schenec-
tady. It is today the best and most
interesting example of the eighteenth
century Mohawk valley church archi-
terture in this section. Philip Schuy-
ler was the master mechanic. The
workmen were boarded near by, the
women of the church taking turns
cooking for them. The Rev. Mr. Peck
preached here in the German language
only but kept the records in English.
In 1797 he was called to German Flats
and went from there to New York,
where he fell dead in the street in
1802. In 1799 the adjoining parsonage
was built and Rev. Isaac Labaugh of
Kinderhook became pastor in connec-
tion with the Fort Plain church. It
is significant of the trend of those
times and also of the racial strains in
the old Palatine district at this period
that the consistorial minutes show

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

167

Dominie Labaugh was to preach in
three different languages as follows:
"He shall preach two sermons in the
German languages, then one in En-
glish, then two again in German, then
one in Low Dutch." In 1803 this order
was changed to two sermons in En-
glish instead of one, which is also sig-
nificant of the growth of the English
language and its attendant institu-
tions and customs in this midsection
of the Mohawk valley. Rev. J. J.
Wack preached here in German and
English from 1804 to 1828, also minis-
tering to the Fort Plain church at the
same time. His salary was $200 from
each church, $1 for each marriage or
funeral, and 50 cents for each infant
baptism. Rev. Isaac Ketcham (1830-
1836) and Rev. B. B. Westfall (1838-
1844) were succeeding pastors. Under
the latter the church was repaired and
a new bell procured. This church at
its formation in 1711 was the only one
in a district where eight Reformed
churches are now.

The Stone Arabia Lutheran church
dates from the separation of the united
Reformed and Lutheran societies in
1733. Rev. William Christian Buck-
meyer came here from Loonenburg on
the Hudson and was the first pastor.
Succeeding him were Rev. Peter Nich-
olas Sommer (1743), Rev. Frederick
Rees (1751), Rev. Theopilus England
(1763), Rev. Frederick Reis (1773),
Rev. Philip Grotz (1780). It was dur-
ing Dominie Grotz's labors, in 1792,
that the present frame Lutheran
church was built at Stone Arabia.
Rev. Peter Wilhelm Domier came
here from Germany and was pastor
from 1811 to 1826, when he returned to
his native country. All these pastors
had preached in German and the first
dominie to have services in the En-
glish language, as well, was Rev. John
D. Lawyer, who was here from 1827
to 1838.

Sir William Johnson, in a charac-
teristic letter dated April 4, 1771, to
the Rev. Dr. Auchmutty, writes as
follows: "I desired our friend, Mr.
Inglis [the Rev. Theopilus England,
pastor of the Lutheran church of Stone

Arabia from 1763 to 1773] to mention
a Circumstance concerning Religion
here that I think you ought to know.
The Lutheran minister at Stoneraby
has lately in a voluntary Manner with-
out any previous Arguments to induce
him thereto desired to take orders in
the Church of England, and what is
much more Strange, It is the desire of
his Congregation that he should do so.
The great difficulty is That, they will
be without a Minister during his ab-
sence, and that it will be attended with
an expence which from their great
Occonomy, they do not chuse to In-
curr. Especially as they have some
Charitable Establishments amongst
themselves that are chargeable. If
* * * * it Could be Carried through
without making much noise, It would
add the Majority of Inhabitants of a
very fine Settlement to the Church,
and as they are Foreigners must
strengthen their allegiance to the
Gov't." Dr. Auchmutty replied from
New York favorably to the change of
denomination but whether from the
"great Occonomy" of the church for-
bidding them to send their minister to
England for ordination, or for some
other reason, nothing seems to have
come of the proposal.

The "Palatine Evangelical Lutheran
Church" edifice, at Palatine Church, is
the oldest church building now stand-
ing within the limits of Montgomery
and Fulton counties. It was also the first
church structure in the Palatine or
Canajoharie districts to be fittingly
built of a permanent material such as
the stone of which it is constructed.
Others were mostly of clapboards at
that time. It was erected in 1770 of
stone by the generous donations of a
few individuals. Peter Wagner and
Andrew Reber contributed £100 each.
Johannes Hess and six Nellises, name-
ly, William jr., Andrew, Johannes,
Henry, Christian and David each gave
£60, while the building of the spire,
which seems to have been an after
consideration, was paid for by the
Nellis family exclusively. This church,
unlike most others in the valley, was
not destroyed by the British raiders of

168

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the Revolution, for the reason, it is
supposed of the Tory proclivities of
one or more of the Nellis family. It
remained as originally built for a cen-
tury, when it was remodeled and re-
paired at a cost of $4,000 and in the
fall of 1870, on its one hundredth an-
niversary, a large celebration and fair
was held, at which Gov. Seymour de-
livered an appropriate address. Many
later celebrations have been held here
and the church has been restored. In
its early history, this society seems
never to have had any independent
church organization but was supplied
by ministers from other churches,
principally the Lutheran church of
Stone Arabia.

ton Berne, Switzerland, and was ap-
pointed by the 'high German authori-
ties of Palatine district, Canajoharie
Castle' to the church, July 13, 1788."

As early as 1756 a Reformed church
was erected in the eastern part of the
town of St. Johnsville by Christian
Klock. The Rev. Mr. Rosenkrantz was
the first preacher and John Henry
Disland the second. This structure
was torn down in 1818 and a church
was erected in the present village.
This was replaced in the latter nine-
teenth century by the present substan-
tial brick church edifice.

Mason's History says of St. John's
Reformed church of St. Johnsville:
"The name St. Johnsville was un-
questionably derived from St. John's
Reformed church, erected in 1770 and
moved to the village in 1804 * * *
The Reformed church of St. Johnsville
is one of the oldest religious societies
in the Mohawk valley, its history dat-
ing back to the middle of the eigh-
teenth century. The present hand-
some brick edifice was built in 1881.
* * * The church received the name
of 'St. John's Dutch Reformed' during
the latter part of the eighteenth cen-
tury, and reliable records indicate that
the church title suggested a name for
the village. This fact has been sub-
stantiated in a great degree by Rev.
P. Furbeck, who devoted a great deal
of attention to the subject. The Rev.
Abram Rosenkrantz, who first minis-
tered to the Dutch Reformed church,
was a historic character, as was also
his successor, Rev. John Henry D:s'slin.
The latter was born in Burgdorf, Can-

It is only the province of this sketch
to treat of the churches which were in
existence in the five west end towns
of Montgomery at the time of the for-
mation of the Canajoharie and Pala-
tine districts of Tryon county in 1772.
Their story is continued until about
the end of the story of Old Fort Plain,
which may be put at 1834, when the
Reformed church of Fort Plain with-
drew from its old home in the Sand
Hill section and erected a new church
at its present Fort Plain site. These
details throw light on the life of the
people, during this changeful period,
at the end of the eighteenth and the
beginning of the nineteenth century.
Shortly after this time, church socie-
ties of other denominations were form-
ed in great numbers in the five towns
under consideration.

In 1794 a Free Will Baptist church
society was formed several miles west
of Ames, in the township of Canajo-
harie, and in 1796 it was removed to
that settlement. This was the first
known religious organization in that
town. Its present church at Ames was
built in 1832.

So far as known there was no church
in the present village of Canajoharie,
prior to the Revolution, the first house
of worship, in that settleinent, being
a union church which was built in
1818. Rev. George B. Miller, a Luth-
eran, was the first settled preacher.
He had many difficulties to contend
with, among them being that of having
to be his own chorister. In this mu-
sical capacity he had to compete with
the bugles played on the line and
packet boats in the summer of 1826,
the first year of through canaling.
The canal had been dug so near the
church as to leave barely room for
the tow path. These instruments were
even sounded before the open windows
in prayer time and it was not until an
appeal was made to the state authori-
ties that this nuisance was broken up.
Mr. Miller was pastor for nine years

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

169

and later died at Hartwick seminary,
of which he was long principal. Be-
fore the erection of this union church,
the people in the present township of
Canajoharie probably attended the
Stone Arabia or Fort Plain churches.
After the organization of the Reform-
ed church in 1827 other church socie-
ties soon were formed in the village
of Canajoharie

In the town of Root a Dutch Re-
formed church was organized at Cur-
rytown about 1790 and a church was
built and dedicated in 1809, which was
remodeled in 1849 and the spire re-
built. This was the first church so-
ciety in Root and the only one in ex-
istence before 1800.

Mention has been made of the Indian
Castle (Danube) church, erected by
Sir William Johnson in the western
part of the Canajoharie district about
1760, largely for the use of the Mo-
hawks then residing there. It is
said that Samuel Clyde, later colonel
of the Canajoharie battalion or regi-
ment of militia, superintended its con-
struction.

Lossing writes of the church at In-
dian Castle, which with the Herkimer
house, constitute an interesting pair
of pre-Revolutionary objects of the
town of Danube and of the old Cana-
joharie district. "The Castle church,
as it is called — the middle one of the
three constructed under the auspices
of Sir William Johnson — is still stand-
ing (1848), two and a half miles below
the Herkimer mansion. It is a wooden
building, and was originally so paint-
ed as to resemble stone. Its present
steeple is not ancient, but the form is
not unlike that of the original. Here
the pious Kirkland often preached the
Gospel to the heathen, and here Brant
and his companions received lessons
of heavenly wisdom. The church
stood upon land that belonged to the
sachem, and the house of Brant, where
Christian inissionaries were often en-
tertained before he took up the war
hatchet, stood about seventy- five rods
northward of the church. Bricks and
stones of the foundation are still to
be seen in an apple orchard north of

the road, and the locality was well de-
fined, when I visited it, by rank weeds,
nowhere else in the field so luxuriant."
Previous mention has been made of
the stealing of the bell of the "Castle
church" by hostile Indians during the
Revolution. The savages probably in-
tended to take this souvenir of their
old house of worship to install in a
new Indian church in Canada. The
marauders forgot to secure the clap-
per and its clanging roused the Ger-
man patriots of the neighborhood, who
sallied forth and recovered the bell
and returned it to its place.

The "old yellow church" is situated
in the western part of Manheim about
three miles northerly from Little Falls
at what was formerly known as Rem-
ensneider's Bush, almost on the line
between the town of Little Falls" and
Manheim, where there was a consid-
erable settlement at the time of the
Revolution. Here was a mill and a
block house and this was the scene of
the raid in April, 1778. At this church
are buried 35 Revolutionary patriot
soldiers.

Before the war of independence a
Reformed Dutch church was organized
in Manheim and a building erected.
The Manheim Reformed church was
burned during the Revolution and re-
built soon after. This building re-
mained standing until 1850 when the
present new frame edifice took its
place. Rev. Caleb Alexander, who
made a tour of the valley in 1801,
wrote: "Between Fairfield and Little
Falls is a Dutch settlement called
Manheim, rich farms, a meeting house
and a minister." This is the only
Revolutionary church society in the
town of Manheim.

Aside from the five Revolutionary
churches of western Montgomery
mentioned in the foregoing, the other
sectarian buildings or societies of that
time, within the present limits of
Montgomery and Fulton counties, are
noted as follows: Queen Anne's
Chapel at Fort Hunter was erected
about 1710, the year before the build-
ing of the fort. Beer's (1878) History

170

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

says: "The liberality of Queen Anne
caused the erection and endowment of
a chapel and manse. The manse is
still standing in sturdy strength. It is
a two-story stone building, about 25
by 35 feet, and is, perhaps, the oldest
structure in the Mohawk valley, west
of Schenectady [county line]. * * *
This chapel contained a veritable or-
gan, the very Christopher Columbus of
its kind, in all probability the first in-
strument of music of such dignity in
the wilderness west of Albany'. Queen
Anne in 1712 sent as furniture for the
chapel a number of silver dishes and
a quantity of church furnishings and
supplies (including bibles) for this
chapel and for missionary use among
the Mohawks and Onondagas. This
chapel was destroyed by the building
of the Erie canal." At the time of the
building of Queen Anne's chapel the
Dutch Reformed and Episcopal de-
nominations supported missions or
missionaries among the Iroquois tribes.

A mile east of Minaville in the town
of Florida (in which Fort Hunter is
also situated) a Reformed church was
erected before 1784.

The Caughnawaga Reformed Dutch
church was built in 1763 at the eastern
end of Caughnawaga (Fonda) in the
present town of Mohawk. It was a
stone structure and served the people
of its neighborhood until 1842 when
its congregation removed to worship
in a church nearer the railroad sta-
tion. In 1868 this noted building was
torn down.

An English church (which became
the present St. John's Episcopal) was
built of stone in Johnstown in 1771,
by Johnson, and is mentioned in pre-
ceding chapters. In 1836 this struc-
ture was burned and in 1837 a new
church was erected. Sir William
Johnson gave his Lutheran and Pres-
byterian neighbors glebes of 50 acres
each and their church societies, at
least, were in existence prior to the
Revolution. These are the only Revo-
lutionary church societies of Fulton
county.

existence in western Montgomery
county, before or during the Revolu-
tion: Three Reformed churches at
Stone Arabia, Fort Plain, St. Johns-
ville; two Lutheran churches at Stone
Arabia and Palatine Church. In the
Canajoharie and Palatine districts
were seven churches — four Reformed
churches at Stone Arabia, Fort Plain,
St. Johnsville and Manheim; two
Lutheran churches at Stone Arabia
and Palatine Church and one Episco-
pal or Union church at Indian Castle,
Danube. In Montgomery county were
eight Revolutionary churches — five Re-
formed churches at Stone Arabia, Fort
Plain, St. Johnsville, Caughnawaga
(Fonda) and Minaville; two Lutheran
churches at Stone Arabia and Palatine
Church and one Episcopal church at
Fort Hunter. In Fulton county were
three Revolutionary church societies —
Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian.
In Fulton and Montgomery counties
(or old Montgomery county prior to
1838) were eleven church societies at
the end of the Revolution. All of these
are in existence, with the exception of
the Episcopal church at Fort Hunter,
which was destroyed by the building
of the Erie canal, as previously stated.

The foregoing shows the following
five churches or church societies in

Hon. Francis Granger, postmaster-
general under Gen. W. H. Harrison, has
left an account of a Sunday at the
old Caughnawaga Reformed Dutch
church, which deserves a place here as
illuminating the life of the times. A
condensation of his narrative follows:

" * * * Loads of the worshippers
were coming in from the country. As
fast as the women alighted from the
sheepskin-bottomed chairs which
formed the seats in the wagons, the
men, after providing for their teams,
repaired to a neighboring bar-room.
Gravely, as befitted the day, each or-
dered a drink. Having drained his
glass, the thirsty Christian thrust his
hand deep in his pocket and drew forth
a long, narrow leather wallet, with a
string woven in the neck, rolled up
around the coin which it contained.
Taking the purse by the bottom and
emptying the cash into his left hand
he selected a sixpence and laying it

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

171

before the landlord, poured back the
remainder into the depths of the wal-
let, folded it carefully up, restored it
to his pocket, and returned to the
church. Thither Mr. Granger also be-
took himself. An officious usher took
him in charge, and, shutting him up in
one of the high-partitioned box pews,
which occupied most of the floor, left
him to pursue his meditations. The
most noticeable feature of the odd in-
terior of the building was the pulpit,
which was a little five-sided coop,
perched aloft on a slender support,
reached by the narrowest of stairways,
and canopied by a sounding board
that completely roofed it over. On the
wall, on either side of the pulpit, hung
a pole several feet in length, suspend-
ed by an iron hoop or ring, from which
also depended a little bag with a bell
at the bottom. In due time the clergy-
man entered, and, inounting the slen-
der stairway, seated himself in his
little domain, which barely contained
him. From his fresh and rubicund
face, it would almost seem that his
parishioners were countenanced by
him in their matter of their Sunday
morning dram. Here, thought the vis-
itor, observant of his glowing features,
was a light of the church set in a
Dutch candlestick and covered with an
umbrella, to prevent any untimely ex-
tinguishment. The congregation en-
tered heartily into the singing, and
Mr. Granger thought it might be good
worship, though sad music. At the
proper stage, the ushers, taking down
the scoop nets from beside the pulpit
went fishing expertly among the wor-
shipers for a collection, tinkling the
little bells appended, as if to warn
them to be ready with their change.
There was need of notice, for getting
at the coin was the same deliberate
operation as at the tavern. There was
the diving for the purse, the unrolling
and emptying of the contents; but the
observer noted that the burgher's eye
scanned his palm for a penny instead
of a sixpence. When they had gone
the round of the house, the collectors
took their turn at the performance,
seeming to hear the Head of the Church
saying, as of old 'Bring me a penny.'

The dominie had got well into his ser-
mon, in a commonplace way, before he
saw Mr. Granger. Then, at the sight
of a well-dressed and intelligent
stranger in the house, he perceptibly
roused himself, and became really elo-
quent. At the close of the service he
had an interview with the visitor, who
assured him, in all sincerity, that he
was never more interested in a sermon
in his life."

CHAPTER V.

The Mohawk River and Watershed —
History and Topography

This is the first of five chapters deal-
ing with the Mohawk river, its valley
and watershed and with water traffic
on the Mohawk through its valley.
This chapter treats of the Mohawk, its
geological history, its topography and
geography. The following chapter
deals with early traffic on the Mo-
hawk, including the years from 1609
to 1825. Subsequent ones will treat of
the Erie canal 1825-1913, the Barge
canal, and of the geology of the cen-
tral Mohawk river section, particularly
that between Fall Hill and the Noses.
This latter is from the pen of Abram
Devendorf and forms chapter VII. of
the third series of these papers. At-
tention is called to the accompanying
map which gives a birds-eye view of
the Mohawk watershed, the names of
all except the first and second class
tributaries being omitted for the sake
of clearness.

The Mohawk valley forms a most
important region of the Hudson river
watershed. As it is the site of the
eastern section of the Barge canal, the
water supply of the Mohawk water-
shed is a subject of the greatest im-
portance. The valley of the Mohawk
breaks through the Atlantic states
mountain system and forms a natural
road and waterway between tidewater
and the Great Lakes. Its position in
this respect is uniqvie and makes it a
link in a great chain of land and water
communication, running from the sea
far into the middle and northwestern
portions of North America. The Mo-

172

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

THE MOHAWK RIVER, ITS VALLEY AND WATERSHED.

THE NAMES OF ITS FIRST AND SECOND CLASS AFFLUENTS ARE GIVEN TO AID THE READER IN
LOCATING THE DIFFERENT STREAMS AND REGIONS OF THE WATERSHED.

hawk river basin takes natural im-
portance as the seat of the life of the
Mohawk tribe of the great Iroquois
confederacy; as a place, in the seven-
teenth and eighteenth centuries, of
interesting settlement by Dutch, Ger-
man and British; as the scene of vital
and terrible Revolutionary warfare,
and as a region of highway, water-
way, railroad, industrial, town and
agricultural development. All these
are treated in separate chapters of
this work.

The Mohawk river rises in the south-
ern part of Lewis county and flows
about 135 miles to its junction with
the Hudson at Troy. Its course is in a
generally easterly direction. The

stream has two tributaries of the first
class — the West Canada and Schoharie
creeks. The West Canada rises in the
Adirondacks in Herkimer and Hamil-
ton counties and has a course of about
sixty miles to its junction with the
Mohawk at Herkimer. The Schoharie
rises in Greene county, among the
Catskills, about seventy miles or more
to the south of its confluence with the
Mohawk at Fort Hunter. It was
through this valley, from the Hudson,
that the first Palatines came to Pala-
tine on the Mohawk, settling the Scho-
harie valley on the way. The Scho-
harie valley is a beautiful and im-
portant region of the Mohawk valley,
whose history, however, is only con-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

173

sidered very generally in this publica-
tion.

The Oriskany, entering the Mohawk
at Oriskany, the East Canada creek
entering at East Creek station and the
Caroga (also written G^roga) joining
its parent stream at Palatine Church,
may be considered second class tribu-
taries. The Oriskany rises in Madi-
son county and the East and Caroga
creeks have their headwaters on the
edge of the Adirondack region, — the
East creek in Herkimer, Hamilton and
in the Canada lakes of Fulton county
and the Caroga in the lake region of
Fulton county formed by headwaters
of East creek just mentioned and its
own headwaters — the Caroga lakes.
Peck's Pond and minor ponds.

A rough classification of the Mo-
hawk's third class tributaries com-
prise the following: Nine Mile creek,
Saquoit, Nowadaga, Otsquago, Cana-
joharie, Flat creek, Cayadutta, North
Chuctanunda, South Chuctanunda,
Alplauskill. The greater part of
these important tributaries, both of
the first and second class, enter
the Mohawk in Montgomery county.
In the central section of the Mo-
hawk basin, which is considered
particularly in these chapters, the
southern rim of the watershed lies
much nearer to the river than the
northern. In the valley country from
I lion to Fultonville, the southern rim
lies about fifteen miles or less from
the river while the northern is from
two to three times that distance from
the Mohawk. The Adirondack region
covers a large part of -the northern
edge of the watershed. The head-
waters of the Schoharie lie in the Cats-
kill country. The Mohawk watershed
was, three hundred years ago, part of
the great eastern forest, and two-
thirds of it has been denuded by the
European colonists. Much of the farm
lands a*re fertile — some of them very
fertile.

The Oneida lake watershed lies to
the west of the Mohawk headwaters
and the Black river valley to the north.
The Oneida lake waters continue the
Mohawk waterway westward to Lakes
Ontario and Erie and the Black river

forms a water and highway to north-
ern New York and the St. Lawrence.
The Mohawk's "parent" valley — the
Hudson — borders the northeastern and
eastern sides while the Susquehanna
bounds the southwestern limit of the
Mohawk basin. The Delaware head-
waters lie close to those of the Scho-
harie. The foregoing gives a gen-
eral view of tile Mohawk and its
watershed. The following matter
covers the subject in greater detail.

The story pt the Mohawk river is the
history of civilization in America. Its
chronicle is of interest to a great
region of territory of North America,
as it is the chief link between the
Great Lakes and the ocean_ Together
with Oneida lake and the Oswego
river, it connects the tidewaters of the
Hudson with the great inland seas.
These latter today carry an enormous
commerce which should find a great
part of its outlet through the Barge
canal, which follows the Mohawk river
in its eastern course. With progress
in canalization it may be that a canal
will eventually join the Great Lakes,
by way of the Lake of the Woods to
Lakes Winnipeg and Winnipegosis in.
Canada. This would make a territory
immediately contributory to these
great waterways of an area equal to
about one-third of the United States,
and a much greater region would in-
directly contribute to its commerce.
It would extend from New York city
up the Hudson, through the Mohawk
river, Oneida lake and Oswego river
to Lake Ontario, to Lake Erie, through
Lakes Huron and Superior to the out-
let of Rainy Lake, through that lake
and the river of the same name into
the Lake of the Woods, in Canada,
and thence into Whitemouth river,
into Winnipeg river, into Lake Winni-
peg (tapping the Red River of the
North running down into theDakotas),
into Lake Manitoba, into Lake Winni-
pegosis and there joining the great
Saskatchewan river, and, by way of
Lake Winnipeg, reaching many more
waterways of the Canadian northwest,
which drain practically that entire
great granary of North America. This
waterway would reach, from the sea

174

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

into the interior, four thousand miles
and has long been projected. The
present Great Lakes — Barge canal —
Mohawk river^Hudson waterway has
a length of about fifteen hundred
miles or more, and taps a great
part of industrial America. This route
would be impossible without the break,
in the Eastern States mountain sys-
tem, through which the Mohawk flows
from a point very close to the water-
shed of Lake Ontario to sea level at
Troy. Thus the history and develop-
ment of this important link in this
inland waterway is of interest to peo-
ple along the whole route, as, without
the Mohawk, this line of transporta-
tion would be non-existent.

The Laurentian hills of Quebec pro-
vince and the Adirondack region com-
prise some of the oldest land surfaces
of the world. Of the latter the Mo-
hawk valley now forms the greater
part of the southern border, the hills
north of the river in Montgomery
county being the first foothills of the
Adirondack mountains. When the
Adirondack region rose from the ocean,
the southern shore was approximately
along the northern border of Fulton
county and many of the streams now
flowing from the north into the Mo-
hawk were rushing mountain torrents
which fell from those barren heights
into the sea at the shore line men-
tioned. Some of these were probably
the West and East Canada and the
Caroga creeks and some others men-
tioned later. The Mohawk valley was
then under the ocean and its rise and
emergence from the waters of the sea
came at a later date.

After this emergence but before the
"birth" of the Mohawk, this region
was part of the slope from the Adi-
rondack mountains to the sea, which
then flowed along the southern bor-
ders of New York during the carboni-
ferous era. Some of the then streams
of this drainage slope are supposed
to have been the West Canada creek.
East Canada creek, Garoga, Cayadutta,
North Chuctanunda and Sacandaga.

The Mohawk river dates its geologi-
cal history from the end of the coal
period, when occurred the elevation of

the Appalachian range of mountains.
This uplift (according to S. L. Frey,
in his interesting "Story of Our
River") extended through New York
state and included Ohio, Indiana, Illi-
nois and Wisconsin and, in conse-
quence, the Great Lakes were formed,
with their drainage outlet probably
by way of the Illinois river at that
time. The Cherry Valley hills were
part of this uplift and in this way the
Mohawk valley was made between
that range of low mountains of which
they are a part and the Adirondack
highlands.

Mr Frey says: "At the time of the
disturbance [raising of the Appala-
chian range] there had been two im-
portant uplifts running north and
south at right angles to the Cherry
Valley hills. These are called by
geologists 'the uplifts of the Mohawk,'
one at the Noses and the other at
Little Falls. When, therefore, the
water could no longer flow south, on
account of the hills, or east, on ac-
count of the uplifts, it gathered until
the basins filled, when all to the east
of Little Falls discharged over the
top of the uplift at the Noses, and all,
to the west of the barrier [Fall Hill]
at Little Falls ran west and emptied
into the Great Lakes basin. Thus
was the Mohawk river formed, a part
of it running east and a part west.
This condition probably prevailed for
a very long period, the river wearing
its way into the soft and fissile shale."
Here we see the eastern of these early
"lakes of the Mohawk," covering a
large part of what the Mohawks termed
Canajoharie and which was later the
Canajoharie and Palatine districts,
with which we are dealing in this
narrative.

As the ages rolled by, the lowering
of the temperature in North America
(attributed to a variety of causes)
produced the glacial period, "during
which Ihis part of the continent was
covered by an ice sheet (5,000 feet
thick in places) as far south as cen-
tral New Jersey. The glacier, in its
southern march, reached the Mohawk
valley and the river, which then ran
in a deep channel. Says Mr. Frey:

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

175

"The ice filled this deep depression,
and, turning eastward, followed the
course of the river, grinding and
grooving and tearing the rocks at the
sides and bottom. Of course the up-
lift at Little Falls was greatly lowered;
but it was at the uplift at the Noses
that there seems to have been the
hardest struggle, and the most enor-
mous amount of grinding and erosion.
The glacier seems to have been held
back by the peculiar configuration of
the hills, at a point just west of
Sprakers Basin. The result was the
scooping out of a deep trough in the
rock, beginning at Gros's rift. This
grew deeper as it goes east, the sides
of the excavation slope up to the
banks and cliffs on each side, and the
rock is now buried under deposits of
soil and sand, of gravel, boulders and
hardpan. The village of Canajoharie
(that is the business part of it) stands
on a deposit of this character fifty feet
in depth. As we go eastward the ex-
cavation in the rock grows deeper and
deeper and the steep hills seem to sur-
round a great basin and to close the
valley. * * * The age of ice lasted
long, but it came to an end at last.
As the climate grew warm again the
ice melted and great floods poured
out at the foot of the glacier and, held
by the high ridge at the south and by
the ice wall at the north, gathered
into great lakes. The most northern
one, which has been called Lake Agas-
siz, was where the Red River of the
North is and was 600 miles long. The
other, called Lake Iroquois, occupied
the Great Lakes basin. It is probable
that the former discharged into the
latter and the outlet, as long as the
glacier blocked the St. Lawrence, was
by way of the Mohawk valley [to the
Hudson valley and the ocean], al-
though there may have been one or
two other outlets toward the south-
west. But the most of it ran east to
the Hudson and was our river on an
immense scale. [Here we have the
original Great Lakes to the sea water-
way through the Mohawk valley.]
* * * This great flow of water fin-
ished the work of the glacier, made
the rounded hills that we see; and the

worn, rocky cliffs, finished the cutting
of a channel through the uplifts at
Little Falls and the Noses, and made
an easy grade for canals and rail-
roads and boulevards." With the con-
tinual gradual recession of the ice
sheet to the north, the waters of the
Great Lakes made their outlet to the
sea through the St. Lawrence river.
The Mohawk then drained only its
own watershed and shrank to its pres-
ent course. When the forest was here
it probably carried a larger volume of
water than at present, with its water-
shed largely denuded.

The total area of the actual Mohawk
valley watershed is 3,485 square miles,
which is roughly 8 per cent or about
one-fourteenth of the state's area.

This Mohawk drainage territory is
comprised in the following counties
with a very rough estiinate of the
number of acres in each drained by
the Mohawk and its tributaries:
Lewis, 20,000; Oneida, 500,000; Madi-
son, 5,000; Herkimer, 500,000; Hamil-
ton, 150,000; Montgomery 250,000; Ot-
sego, 5,000; Fulton, 225,000; Schoharie,
400,000; Delaware, 5,000; Greene
(headwaters of Schoharie river), 150,-
000; Albany, 30,000; Saratoga, 30,000.
This makes thirteen of the state's
sixty-one counties, some part of which
forms a portion of the Mohawk water-
shed. Of these thirteen counties,
Montgomery is the only one whose ter-
ritory is entirely within the limits of
the Mohawk river drainage system.

The western part of Oneida county
is drained by the Oneida lake water-
shed, while the extreme southern sec-
tion belongs to the Susquehanna val-
ley, and the extreme northeastern lies
in the Black river watershed. The
upper portion of Herkimer county (in
the Adirondack forest section) is
drained by the Black river, and the
extreme south lies in the Susquehanna
valley. The eastern part of Fulton
county belongs to the upper Hudson
system, being watered by the Sacan-
daga and its tributaries. The south-
ern part of Schenectady county drains
into the Hudson and a small portion
of western Schoharie county is in the
Susquehanna valley.

176

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

The Mohawk drains a country of
high rolling hills, rising into mountains
on several of its divides" from other
adjoining basins. In the central Mo-
hawk region, which is the one under
consideration in this work, the edges
of the watershed rise to summits of
over 2,500 feet on the north and south
margins. The divide which separates
.the Big Sprite (branch of the East
creek) and the headwaters of the
Caroga from the Sacandaga valley, has
summits of the following elevations:
In the town of Bleecker, Fulton county.
Pigeon Mt. 2,700, Pinnacle 2,514, Shaker
Mt. 2,500; in the town of Caroga, Ful-
ton county, adjoining Canada lakes.
Pine Mt. 2,200, Camelhump 2,278 and
2,265, Sheeley Mt. 2,120; in the town
of Stratford, Fulton county, West
Rooster Hill, 2,240. Hills of from five to
over eight hundred feet elevation rise
from the Mohawk flats themselves. In
western Montgomery county, the high-
est of these is Getman Hill (sea eleva-
tion, 1,140 feet and 838 feet above the
Mohawk). This summit is almost in
the point where the town lines of St.
Johnsville, Ephratah and Oppenheim
join and is part of the ridge that oc-
cupies the northern horizon as seen
from old and new Fort Plain. Prob-
ably the highest hill rising directly
from the Mohawk river flats is Yan-
tapuchaberg, on the south side of the
river between Amsterdam and Sche-
nectady. This mountain has a sea
elevation of 1,385 feet and rises about
1,150 feet above the Mohawk. Old
Yantapuchaberg is one of the most
beautiful hills in the Mohawk valley,
or anywhere else, with its wooded
slopes rising to a forest crested sum-
mit. It is an object of the traveler's
interest on the Central railroad op-
posite. Summits, equal in height to
those in the Fulton county lake region
rise in the Cherry Valley hills on the
central southern rim of the water-
shed.

The Mohawk river bed falls from a
sea elevation of 420 feet at Rome to
184 feet at Crescent in Saratoga
county. From there the river drops,
by Cohoes falls and rapids, to feea level
at Troy. In Montgomery county the

river elevations vary from 302 feet at
St. Johnsville and Fort Plain to 255
feet at Amsterdam. The Mohawk, for
over sixty years prior to 1913 was
paralleled by canals the greater part of
its length. Black River canal follows the
course of the east upper head branch
of the Mohawk a*nd the main stream
from near Boonville to Rome, a dis-
tance of over twenty miles, and from
Rome to Cohoes the Erie canal follows
the river for over 100 miles. The
Barge canal largely follows the Mo-
hawk's course from Rome to Cohoes.

It must be remembered that the
name Mohawk valley applies to the
entire watershed of this important
river — to the headwaters of the Scho-
harie in the Catskills and the lake
sources of the West Canada, East
Canada and Caroga creeks in the
Adirondacks just as much as to the
Mohawk itself, along which main
stream, the greater part of the popu-
lation of the Mohawk basin is located
and where the major items of human
life and activity have had their scene
and enactment.

The lakes of the Mohawk basin are
confined to the north central rim of
the watershed and to the headwaters
of the West Canada, East Canada and
Caroga creeks. The majority of these
lakes and ponds lie in northern Fulton
county and include the Canada and
Caroga lakes and Peck's pond and its
tributary lakes or ponds. Two small
lakes or ponds, one at the headwaters
of Oriskany creek and the other at the
source of the South Chuctanunda are
the only ponds of a size worthy of
mention on the south side of the Mo-
hawk watershed. Honnedaga. Lake,
one of the headwater lakes of the
West Canada, is the largest and Can-
ada, Caroga, Peck and Jerseyfield
lakes are of the second class and about
the same area. According to the maps,
Honnedaga lake is about four miles
long and a mile wide. Canada lake
is about two miles long and a half
mile wide. The Barge canal reser-
voirs, Hinckley and Delta, are the
largest lakes in the Mohawk watershed
although they are, of course, artificial.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

177

Under the heading "A brief topogra-
phy of the Mohawk valley," Simms
writes as follows: "The Mohawk river
rises in Lewis county, about 20 miles
to the northward of Rome, [near a
place called Mohawk Hill] arriving at
which place it takes an easterly course,
and, at a distance of about 135 miles
from its source, enters the Hudson
between Troy and Waterford. Its
source is near Black river, which,
running northwesterly, empties into
Lake Ontario. Wood creek also
rises northwesterly from Rome and,
at a point two miles distant from
the bend of the Mohawk, [the
old carrying place between Wood
creek and the Mohawk] it finds
a westerly course into Oneida
lake, which discharges into Oswego
river and runs into Lake Ontario at
Oswego. The Mohawk has two prom-
inent cascades to interrupt its navi-
gation— the Cohoes Falls, not far from
its mouth with 70 feet fall, requiring
six deep locks on the Erie canal to
overcome the ascent, and the Little
Falls [also called Canajoharie Falls in
the early days], so called as compared
with the Cohoes, having a fall of 42
feet, the canal descending 40 feet in a
single mile by five locks, averaging
about eight feet lift. The mountain
barrier at this point through which
the water furrowed its way in the
long ago, affords some of the most ro-
mantic scenery in Central New York. .
The river in its course through One-
ida, Herkimer, Montgomery and Sche-
nectady counties, passes through some
of the richest bottom lands or river
flats to be found in any country.

"For nearly two centuries the Mo-
hawk was navigated above Schenec-
tady by small water craft, mostly bat-
teaux, [flatboats] around which danced
the red man's canoe; but it was al-
ways interrupted by the Little Falls,
some 58 miles above, which necessi-
tated a carrying place of a mile; and,
at a later period, when the waters of
Wood creek and Oneida lake were
utilized, a carrying place of two miles
was established between that creek
and the Mohawk, so that boats from
Schenectady went to Oswego and

back, at first to convey Indian goods
and military stores. For the benefit
of young readers I may say that, at
carrying places, both cargo and boat
had to be taken from the water and
conveyed around the obstruction by
land — usually by teams and extra
hands, quite constantly employed — of
course, to be relaunched and reloaded
to pursue its onward course.

"After the Revolution which had
familiarized the whole country with
the rich lands of western New York,
from which the Indians had mostly
been driven by their sympathy with
Britain, many citizens from New Eng-
land— not a few of whom had been sol-
diers— removed thither, especially to
Ontario county. * * * Some of these
settlers moved up the Mohawk valley
with ox-teams and covered wagors,
while others journeyed in boats from
Schenectady, their cattle being driven
along the river roads. Parties by
water were often composed of several
families, to aid each other at the carry-
ing places, as also to guard against
any and every danger. The valley
soon became a thoroughfare for thous-
ands passing through it, and the travel
has gone on increasing, with improved
facilities, until millions by rail are
now speeding along, where thousands
sought their way by river craft and
private ctnveyances or, a little later,
by canal craft and stages. The world,
at times, now seems hurrying to and
fro through the valley.

"The Mohawk valley is not only
wonderfully beautified but its fertility
is greatly increased by the numerous
tributaries, large and small, entering
the river upon both shores, which af-
ford advantageous mill-sites for hun-
dreds of mills and manufactories, em-
ploying the labor of many thousands
of operatives."

Regarding Wood creek, which was
formerly connected by a canal with the
Mohawk at Rome, Spafford wrote in
1824, as follows: "Wood creek of the
Oneida lake, long so famous for its
navigation, on which millions of prop-
erty have been wafted and large
armies — a little stream over which a
man may almost step — deserves notice

178

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

for its historic importance in days
of yore, the rather as it now is lost
sight of and will soon be forgotten,
merged in the glories of the Erie
canal."

Simms gives a list of the tributaries
of the Mohawk of which the following
are the principal, with the points at
which they enter the river. Com-
mencing at Rome, on the south side of
the Mohawk, descending the valley are
the following: Oriskany at Oriskany;
Saquoit, near Whitesboro; Furnace
creek at Frankfort; Steele's creek at
Ilion; Nowadaga (also called Inchu-
nando, Conowadaga) at Indian Castle;
Otsquago at Fort Plain; Canajoharie
at Canajoharie; Plattekill or Flat
creek at Sprakers; Wasontha (Yates-
ville) at Randall; Oghrackie or Aries-
kill at Auriesville; Schoharie river at
Fort Hunter; Tuechtanonda, or Little
Chuctanunda or South Chuctanunda
at Amsterdam (south side) ; Cowilla,
opposite Cranesville; Zantzee, near
Hoffman's Ferry; Plotterkill, a little
distance below; Bennekill, just above
Schenectady; Donker's Kill between
Schenectady and the mouth of the
Mohawk.

Beginning on the north side and go-
ing down the river from Rome are the
following tributary streams: No. 6,
Mile creek, two and a half miles from
Rome; No. 9 Mile creek, seven miles
from Rome; Rasceloth or Sterling
creek in the town of Schuyler; Teugh-
taghnarow or West Canada creek, be-
low Herkimer; Ciohana or East Can-
ada creek at East Creek (called also
Gayohara) ; Crum Creek; Fox's creek,
[or Timmermans creek] at Upper St.
Johnsville; Zimmerman's creek at St.
Johnsville; Mother creek, between St.
Johnsville and Palatine Church; Car-
oga at Palatine Church; Kanagara [or
Knayderack] at the county home
[Schenck's]; Cayadutta at Fonda;
Dadanoscara at DeGraff's; Kayaderos-
seros at Fort Johnson; Chuctanunda,
or North Chuctanunda, at Amsterdam;
Eva's Kill at Cranesville; Lewis Kill
and Vertkill, above Schenectady; Al-
plauskill and Anthonykill, between
Schenectady and Troy.

The foregoing treats of the geologi-

cal history and topography of the Mo-
hawk and its valley. The following
chapter tells of early navigation on the
river, which formed such an important
feature of life along the Mohawk dur-
ing the two centuries from 1609 to 1825.

CHAPTER VI.

1609-1795 — Traffic and Travel on the
Mohawk River — Canoes, Dugouts,
Skiffs, Batteaux — Carries at Little
Falls and Wood Creek— 1792, Inland
Lock Navigation Co. — 1795, Canals
and Locks at Little Falls, German
Flats and Rome — Schenectady and
Durham Boats and River Packets —
1821-1825, Mohawk Part of Erie
Canal System — 1825, Erie Canal Su-
persedes River as Valley Waterway.

This is the second chapter dealing
with the Mohawk river. It is also the
first chapter dealing with transporta-
tion and commerce along that stream,
either by land or water. This chapter,
concerning Mohawk river traffic from
1609 to 1825, is to be followed by others
treating of bridges, turnpikes, Erie
canal, railroads. Barge canal, etc.,
making in all seven or eight sketches
on this subject. Even Atwood's aero-
plane journey over the course of the
Mohawk might fittingly be included In
this chronicle of three centuries of
traffic and travel through the valley.
Persons interested in this subject sep-
arately can follow the story in the
chapters aforementioned as they are
published in their chronological order,
just as the same procedure may be
carried out in the consideration of the
chapters dealing with the Mohawk
river, as suggested in the last chap-
ter. Agriculture, manufacturing and
transportation are said to form a tri-
angle comprising the business life of a
country or region. The following
opens up the interesting subject of
transportation in the Mohawk valley
during three centuries.

The first settlers of New York in the
Hudson valley adopted water trans-
portation as the forests were gener-
ally impassable, except over the In-
dian trails. Travel by water or on
foot were the first methods used in

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

179

the Mohawk valley. The history of
transportation along the Mohawk may
be epitomized in the following meth-
ods of freight and passenger carriage:
Man carriage, canoe, dugout, skiff,
flatboat, raft, skates, snowshoes, sad-
dle-horse, pack-horse, oxcart, sled,
chaise, coach, sulky, wagon, covered
big (Conestoga) wagon, stage coach,
large river boat, buggy, canal boat,
canal packet boat, railroad coach, rail-
road freight car, steam tug, horse car,
steam launch, steam yacht, bicycle,
electric trolley car, automobile, motor
bus, motor truck, motor cycle, motor
boat, motor tug, aeroplane, canal
barge.

Mohawk river trafflc may be briefly
summarized as follows: The Mohawk
Indians, living on the river shores and
frequently changing their habitations
from the south to the north side and
back again, used bark canoes and dug-
outs to traverse the river. These were
doubtless also used by the first white
explorers and traders. After Schenec-
tady was settled, in the lower Mo-
hawk valley in 1661, probably the flat-
bottomed "scow skiff," propelled by
oars, made its appearance. From this
was evolved the larger flat or flatboat
or batteau, propelled by oars, poles and
sails. These boats were in use by
traders, settlers and soldiers to carry
goods, farm produce and war material
until after the Revolution. They car-
ried from one to two tons, their size
being determined by the fact that they
had to make two land carries on the
river trip. The Inland Lock Naviga-
tion Co. was formed in 1792 and the
building of locks and canals, at Little
Falls, German Flats and Rome in 1795
made larger boats possible. The Dur-
ham and Schenectady boats of ten
tons burden, made their appearance,
poles and sails being the propelling
forces employed by the Mohawk sail-
ors of a century ago. The smaller
batteaux also continued in use. From
1795 to 1825 the river was a lively line
of traffic, even passenger packets be-
ing in use. From 1821-1825 the Mo-
hawk was utilized as a part of the
Erie canal system and when the canal
had been dug from Rome < to Little

Falls, the canal boats entered the river
at the latter place and continued their
journey to Schenectady on the Mo-
hawk. Later when the canal was fin-
ished from Rome to Sprakers boats
left the canal near the Noses and con-
tinued on by the river to their desti-
nation at Schenectady. In 1826 Erie
navigation began and the Mohawk
ceased to be used as a trade route.
Many of the river boatmen and some
of their craft, however, continued their
work on the new canal, which eclipsed
the river until these latter days of the
Barge canal.

From the days of the Mohawk canoes
and dugouts and those of the first
Indian traders, the river was the
artery of trade between the east and
the far west. From Albany to Schen-
ectady was a portage and also around
the Cohoes falls. From these points
the boats called batteaux or flatboats
soon came into use by the white set-
tlers and traders. The river was fol-
lowed to Little Falls where there was
another carry by land around the
rapids, although these were sometimes
shot by venturesome boatmen on the
down trip when the river was swollen.
At Wood creek was a third carry from
the Mohawk. Canals were built at
Little Falls and Wood Creek in 1795.

Before this at Little Falls sleds and
wagons were used to carry the
batteaux around the portage. These
batteaux were flat-bottomed scows
of sufl^cient dimensions to carry
several tons and were propelled by
setting poles which were kept for sale
at convenient points along the river.
With backs to the prow the batteaux
men thrust the poles to the river's bed
and, bearing hard upon them and
walking aft, laboriously pushed the
boat against the current. A sort of
harmony of movement was secured by
the captains by the cries, "Bowsmen
up!" and "Second men up!" Steering
was done with a tiller oar. Such was
the mode of transporting merchandise
and Indian commodities to and from
the west for nearly two centuries;
and such, too, the method of transport-

180

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

ing munitions of war during- the Rev-
olution. Much of the material used in
building defenses like Fort Plain was
brought up this way and convoying
batteaux flotilla containing war sup-
plies was frequently part of the duties
of the militia and regulars located here
and in surrounding districts. Revolu-
tionary captains in the batteaux ser-
vice were in 1832 made entitled to the
same pensions as captains in the Con-
tinental army.

Small batteaux, known in those times
as three-handed and four-handed
boats, were in early use on the Mohawk.
They were so called because three or
four men were required to propel and
care for them. Passing the carry at
Little Falls in early days, the boats
proceeded to Fort Stanwix where the
carry was made to Wood creek, whence
they floated into and through Oneida
lake and the Oswego river to Oswego
where they entered Lake Ontario.
From Oswego to Niagara, then a place
of much importance, merchandise was
transported in the same boats or
aboard sloops. This was the water
route to the west until the completion
of the Erie canal in 1825.

The earliest boatmen were troubled
by the Indians who look toll for the
navigation of the river and who were
particularly threatening and rapac-
ious at the Wood creek carry. The
rifts in the river offered a serious
menace to this form of transportation
and wrecks and drownings were not
infrequent. On the down trip the
flood times were welcomed as over-
coming this trouble and this must
have been a favorite time for making
the journey east. On the up trip over
the rifts the polemen were assisted by
men on shore with ropes. Rude sails
were also used during favoring winds
and sails, oars and poles were the
three methods of propelling the white
man's boats on the Mohawk for two
centuries.

It was not until 1800 that the turn-
pikes were improved sufficiently to
compete with the Mohawk in matters
of transportation, and the river, at the
Revolutionary period, was the main
artery of traffic and remained so for

some time. Schenectady then was a
lively river port and important town
to the Mohawk valley people.

The first rift or rapids, above Sche-
nectady, was met with, at a distance
of six miles, and was called Six Flats
Rift. Proceeding west in order came
Fort Hunter rift, Caughnawaga rift at
Fultonville, Keator's rift at Sprakers,
the greatest in the river, having a fall
of ten feet in a few rods; Brandy wine
rift at Canajoharie, short but rapid;
Ehle's rift, near Fort Plain; Kneis-
kern's rift, a small rapid near the up-
per Indian Castle and a little above
the river dam; the Little Falls, so
called in contradistinction to the great
Falls at Cohoes; Wolf's rift, five miles
above the falls.

At Fort Plain, a bend in the river
opposite the house of Peter Ehle from
whom the rift took its name was
known as Ehle's crank; and opposite
the residence of Nicholas Gros, a little
below, another turn in the river was
called Gros's crank.

At the Little Falls, a descent of 40
feet in half a mile, boats could not be
forced up the current and it became a
carrying place for them and merchan-
dise, which were transported around
the rapids, usually on the north shore,
at first on sleds and later on wagons
with small wide rimmed wheels.
The water craft were then re-
launched and reloaded and proceeded
on their western journey. On such oc-
casions, one of the party usually stay-
ed with the goods deposited above
while the team returned for the boat.

The difficulties of forcing the boats
over the rifts of the Mohawk increased
with their size. As many as twenty
men, pulling with ropes on the bank
and pushing with poles on the boat,
were sometimes unable to propel a
single boat over Keator's rift. Black
slaves, owned by settlers near the
rapids, were frequently employed in
this occupation.

An early traveler writes as follows of
this waterway: "The Oniada Lake,
situated near the head of the River
Oswego, receives the waters of Wood
Creek, which takes its rise not far
from the Mohawk River. These two

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

181

lie so adjacent to each other that a
junction is effected by sluices at Fort
Stanwix. * * * * Here [Little Falls]
the roaring rapids interrupted all nav-
igation, empty boats not even being
able to pass over them. The early
portage, of one mile here in sleds over
the swampy ground, has been describ-
ed as it was in 1756, when enterprising
Teutons residing here transferred all
boats in sleds over marshy ground
which 'would admit of no wheel car-
riage.' * * * Later on, about 1790,
we find that the Germans' sleds were
out of use and that boats were trans-
ferred on wheeled vehicles appropri-
ately fashioned to carry them without
damage to their hulls. No great boats
could be transferred by such means;
this fact had a tendency to limit the
carrying capacity of Mohawk batteaus
to about one and a half tons." Johan
Jost Herkimer, father of Nicholas Her-
kimer, was a pioneer in this carrying
business at "The Falls" and here laid
the foundation of a considerable for-
tune.

Washington mentions the advantages
of the Mohawk valley waterway and
after the Revolution efforts were made
to improve it and many plans were
put forward, some bearing a rude re-
semblance to the present barge canal
dams. To this end the Inland Lock
Navigation company was incorporated
March 30, 1792, Gen. Philip Schuyler
being elected its president. Locks and
canals were built at Little Falls, at
Wolfs Rift at German Flats, and at
Rome, connecting with Wood Creek.
These canals were constructed about
1795, prior to which time there were
carries at Little Falls and Wood Creek.
These river locks and canals continued
in use until 1825, the year of the open-
ing of the Erie canal.

After the river improvements were
made the Durham boat was substituted
for the unwieldly batteaux. The Dur-
ham boat was of ten or fifteen tons
capacity and had sharpened bows.
Cleats were along the sides to give the
polemen's feet better purchase and a
small caboose was the crew's store-
house and the cooking was done on
shore, where fuel was plenty. It is

related that one of these boats left
Utica in the morning and reached
Schenectady on the evening of the
same day, which was considered a
record trip. The expense of transpor-
tation from Albany to Schenectady
was 16 cents per 100 pounds. From
Schenectady to Utica, 75 cents and
from Utica to Oswego $1.25, making a
through rate of $2.16 per 100 pounds.
This would give $43.20 per ton as the
freight rate between Schenectady and
Oswego, less than 200 miles. In 1913
the rate per ton by lake boats from
Buffalo to Duluth, about 700 miles,
was 39 cents.

The river improvements and cost of
transportation made the enterprise un-
profitable and the company sold out
to the state in 1820. With the build-
ing of the Erie canal the traffic boat-
men disappeared from the Mohawk. It
is probable that at Fort Plain was a
landing for batteaux, during the life-
time of the post, and afterward for the
larger boats. Possibly the Otsquago
was here deep where it traversed the
level flatland for a half mile and bat-
teaux may have been able to pene-
trate its still waters up to the Clarke
house and Paris store.

Along the river road, near some of
the rapids, were public houses, a good
share of whose custom came from the
boatmen. As near these runs as pos-
sible, boats often tied up for the night
and here a lot of old Mohawk sailors
had jolly times. Jost Spraker's tav-
ern, at Keator's rift, was one of those.
Another riverman's favorite tavern
was the old Isaac Weatherby house at
Brandywine rift, situated a mile below
Palatine Bridge, and below the junc-
tion of the Oswegatchie and the river
roads.

Accidents, drownings and wrecks
were many. Two which occurred near
Fort Plain, shortly before the Erie
was opened, are described by Simnis
as follows: "Ezra Copley in 1823 ran
a Durham boat on a rock in Ehle's rift,
below the Fort Plain bridge. It was
loaded with wheat in bulk, was stove
and filled with water. The wheat was
taken to Ehle's barn and dried, the
boat was repaired, reloaded and went

182

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

on its destination. One of the best
of this class of craft, l^nown as the
'Butterfly,' was descending the river,
swollen by floods, when the steersman
lost control of it and it struck broad-
side on one of the stone piers of the
Canajoharie bridge and broke near the
centre. The contents of the boat lit-
erally filled the river for some distance
and three hands were drowned. The
body of one, named Clark, was recov-
ered twelve miles below at Pulton-
ville. The steersman retained his hold
on the long tiller (some 20 feet long)
and reached shore about a quarter
mile below the bridge. Most of the
flour on the boat was saved along the
river. The owner of the craft, a man
named Meyers, had the boat's frag-
ments taken to Schenectady and re-
built. After this it was taken through
the newly completed Erie canal to
Cayuga lake. Here, while making a
trip loaded with gypsum, it sank and
its owner was drowned. Thus ended
the unfortunate 'Butterfly,' one of the
last of the freight craft that sailed the
Mohawk." Many of the river boats
probably found early use on the Erie
canal, after 1825. In the last few
years (1821-1825) of canal construc-
tion the Mohawk was used in connec-
tion with the completed portions of
the Erie canal for the transportation
of canal boats from the west to Sche-
nectady and vice versa, notably from
Little Falls and later from Sprakers,
to Schenectady.

Several large rowboats, constructed
especially to carry twenty passengers
each, from Utica to Schenectady, and
tastefully curtained, were in use on
the Mohawk at about 1800. They were
called river packets.

Christian Schultz, who journeyed
on the river in 1807, spoke of there be-
ing three kinds of boats on the Mo-
hawk— the Schenectady boats being
preferred, which carried about ten
tons when the river would permit. He
said they usually progressed 18 to 25
miles per day up the stream by sails
and poles. These boats, modeled much
like the Long Island round-bottomed
skiffs, were 40 to 50 feet in length and
were steered by a large swing oar of

the same length. When the wind
favored they set a square sail and a
top sail. He was informed that one
"galley," the "Mohawk Register," had
gone at the rate of six miles an hour
against the stream and he adds:
"During this time, believe me, nothing
could be more charming than sailing
on the Mohawk." They did not often
have a favorable wind and the curves
in the river rendered the course of a
boat irregular and the use of sails pre-
carious, on which account their chief
dependence was upon their pike poles,
which it required much experience to
use to advantage.

Of the poles and the manner of
using them on the river boats, Mr.
Schultz gives the following account:
"These poles are from 18 to 22 feet in
length, having a sharp pointed iron
with a socket weighing 10 to 12 pounds
affixed to the lower end; the upper has
a large knob called a button mounted
upon it, so that the poleman may
press upon it with his whole weight
without endangering his person. This
manner of impelling the boat forward
is extremely laborious, and none but
those who have been some time ac-
customed to it, can manage these poles
with any kind of advantage. Within
the boat on each side is fixed a plank
running fore and aft with a number of
cleats nailed upon it, for the purpose
of giving the poleman sure footing
and hard poling. The men, after set-
ting the poles a'gainst the rock, bank
or bottom of the river, declining their
heads very low, place the upper end
or button against the back part of
their shoulder, then falling on their
hands and toes creep the whole length
of the gang boards and send the boat
forward at considerable speed. The
first sight of four men on each side of
the boat, creeping along on their
hands and toes, apparently transfixed
by a huge pole, is no small curiosity;
nor was it until I perceived their per-
severance for 200 or 300 yards, that I
became satisfied they were not play-
ing some pranks.

"From the general practise of this
method, as likewise from my own trials
and observations, I am convinced that

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

183

they have fallen upon the most pow-
erful way possible to exert their bod-
ily strength for the purpose required.
The position, however, was so ex-
tremely awkward to me, that I doubt
whether the description I have given
will adequately describe the proced-
ure. I have met with another kind of
boat on the river, which is called a
dorm or dorem; how it is spelled I
know not. [This was the Durham
boat and the third boat to which he
alludes was the batteau, propelled by
oars.] The only difference I could ob-
serve in this [the Durham] from the
former one, is that it is built sharp on
both ends, and generally much larger
and stouter. They likewise have flats
[scows] similar to those seen on the
Susquehanna, but much lighter built
and larger. On all these they occa-
sionally carry the sails before men-
tioned.

"The Mohawk is by no means dan-
gerous to ascend, on account of the
slowness of the boat's progress; but
as it is full of rocks, stones and shal-
lows, there is some risk of staving the
boat and, at this season [probably
midsummer], is so low as to require
the boat to be dragged over many
places. The channel, in some in-
stances, is not more than eight feet in
width [the boats were long and nar-
row], which will barely permit a boat
to pass by rubbing on both sides. This
is sometimes caused by natural or ac-
cidental obstructions of rocks in the
channel, but oftener by artificial
ineans. This, which at first view would
appear to be an inconvenience, is pro-
duced by two lines or ridges of stone,
generally constructed on sandy, grav-
elly or stony shallows, in such manner
as to form an acute angle where they
meet, the extremities of which widen
as they extend up the river, while at
the lower end there is just space
enough left to admit the passage of a
boat. The water being thus collected
at the widest part of these ridges, and
continually pent up within narrower
limits as it descends, causes a rise at
the passage; so that where th« depth
was no" more than eight inches before,
a contrivance of this kind will raise

it to twelve; and strange as it may
appear, a boat drawing fifteen inches
will pass through it with safety and
ease. The cause is simply this: The
boat, being somewhat below the pas-
sage, its resistance to the current is
such as to cause a swell of four or five
inches more, which affords it an easy
passage over the shoal."

The reader must remember that at
this time, the waters of the Erie then
having their channel in the Mohawk,
the river was of considerable more
volume than it was after the building
of the canal.

This writer says that the Mohawk
might be considered 100 yards in width
with extremely fertile banks. He
speaks of passing through eight locks
at Little Falls, whereas two of these
were at Wolf's rift, several miles above.
He said the Mohawk afforded very
poor fishing, since at the end of nine
days he had only caught a "poor cat
fish, no longer than a herring." He
visited Utica, which then had 160
houses, and Whitestown.

Of Rome he says: "Rome * * *
is near the head of the Mohawk. The
entrance into this village is through a
handsome canal about a mile in
length. It is here that the Mohawk is
made to contribute a part of its stream
towards filling Wood creek, which of
itself is so low in dry seasons as to be
totally insufficient to float a boat with-
out the aid of the Mohawk. Rome,
formerly known as Fort Stanwix, is
delightfully situated in an elevated and
level country commanding an exten-
sive view for miles around. This vil-
lage consists of about 80 houses, but it
seems quite destitute of every kind of
trade, and rather upon the decline.
The only spirit which I perceived
stirring among them was that of
money digging, and the old fort be-
trayed evident signs of the prevalence
of this mania, as it had literally been
turned inside out for the purpose of
discovering concealed treasures."

In descending Wood creek he passed
through a range of five canal locks.
He spoke of the rate of toll as being
too high. He said the toll, in passing
the eight locks at Little Falls, was

184

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLxVIN

$2.25 per ton of merchandise, and the
toll on the boat was from $1.50 to
$2,621/2 each boat. The toll was at a
still higher rate to pass through the
Wood creek locks, being $3.00 per ton
on the goods and from $1.50 to $3.50
on the boats.

In 1S07, at the time of Mr. Schultz's
trip up the Mohawk, he passed the fol-
lowing towns to which is added a
rough estimate of their population at
that time: Schenectady, several thou-
sand; Amsterdam, 150; Caughnawaga
(Fonda), 200; Canajoharie, 200; Fort
Plain, 200; Little Falls, 300; Herki-
mer, 300; Utica, 1,200; Whitestown;
Rome, 500. Johnstown, only three
miles from the Mohawk, had prob-
ably 600 and was the third town in
importance in the yalley. Montgom-
ery county, in 1807 and up to 1817, ex-
tended westward from the Schenec-
tady county line to Fall Hill. Schen-
ectady was the most important town
in the state west of Albany in 1807.

The Rev. Mr. Taylor, previously al-
luded to, gives an interesting account
of the Little Falls locks and the Little
Falls country itself in 1802: "Passing
on from Manheim, we found the moun-
tains drawing to a point upon two
sides of the river. When we come to
the river there is only a narrow pass
for about three-fourths of a mile be-
tween the river and the foot of the
rocks. When we come to the Falls
the scene which it presents is sublime.
We now enter Herkimer county — a
small village of the town of Herkimer,
called Little Falls, by which the canals
pass, which were constructed in [17]95.
The length of the canal is three-
fourths of a mile. There are six locks.
The appearance of the falls is sub-
lime. The village is built upon a ledge
of rocks. It promises fair to be a
place of business as to trade, as all
produce of the Royal grants will nat-
urally be brought here to be shipped.
They have a. new and beautiful meet-
ing house, standing about 40 rods back
on the hill, built in the form of an oc-
tagon. I am now, July 27 [1802], about
30 rods from fall mountain on the
south. Between this and the moun-
tain is the Mohawk, and a bridge over

it, in length about 16 rods. Between
this and the bridge is the canal. On
the right about 40 rods are the falls,
or one bar of the falls in full view.
The falls extend about three-fourths
of a mile. Upon the whole, the place
is the most romantic of "any I ever
saw; and the objects are such as to
excite sublime ideas in a reflecting
mind. From the appearance of the
rocks, and fragments of rocks where
the town is built, it is, I think, dem-
onstratably evident that the waters of
the Mohawk, in passing over the fall,
were 80 or 90 feet higher, in some
early period, than they are now. The
rocks, even a hundred feet perpendic-
ular above the present high water
mark, are worn in the same manner as
those over which the river passes. The
rocks are not only worn by the descent
of the water, but in the fiat rocks are
many round holes, worn by the whirl-
ing of stones — some even 5 feet and 20
inches over. If these effects were pro-
duced by the water, as I have no doubt
they were, then it follows as a neces-
sary consequence, that the flats above
and all the lowlands for a consider-
able extent of the country, were cov-
ered Ti^ith water, and that here was a
lake — but the water, having lowered,
its bed, laid the lands above dry."

In regard to the foregoing specu-
lations of the Rev. John Taylor the
following from the Fort Plain Stand-
ard of August 1, 1912, is of interest:

"The Mohawk valley, and especially
that section of it at Little Falls, is a
classic example among geographers.
Not only is the Little Falls gorge the
only low pass o\er the Appalachian
Highlands between Canada and Ala-
bama through which easy access is
made from the Atlantic to the West,
but is is also an extremely interest-
ing place in itself. The Mohawk river
at one time had its source at Little
Falls while a westward flowing stream
ran from that point to where now is
Lake Ontario. During the glacial per-
iod the gorge was partly scooped out
by ice, then for a time, while the St.
Lawrence river was obstructed by ice,
the Great Lakes had their- outlet
through the Mohawk valley instead of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

185

the St. Lawrence and Little Falls ri-
valled Niagara. Today the evidences of
the work of ice and water, and also
of far more ancient earthquake and
volcanic action, are to be seen in un-
usual clearness at the Little Falls
gorge." This item was anent the visit
to Little Falls of leading geographers
of the world in 1912.

The batteaux and boats of the Mo-
hawk were the natural predecessors of
the Erie packets and canal boats, the
Central freight car, coach and Pull-
man and the 3,000 ton barge. To the
Mohawk and the utilization of its
stream for transportation, is due much
of the subsequent development of. the
communities along its banks and of
New York state in general.

CHAPTER VII.

1609-1913 — Mohawk Valley Transpor-
tation— Indian Trails — Horse and
Cart Roads, Highways (1700-1800)
— Turnpikes and Mohawk Turnpike
(1800-1840) —County Roads (1840-
1885)— Bicycle Routes (1885-1900) —
Automobile Roads (1900-1913) —
Weed's 1824 Stage Coach Journey on
the Mohawk Turnpike.

This chapter, dealing with the Mo-
hawk valley highways, is the second
one describing transportation in the
Mohawk valley. The first, published
just before this one, covered traffic on
the Mohawk river. Others follow
treating of bridges, the Erie canal,
railroads and the Barge canal. The
highways are the most important and
basic element in the matter of trans-
portation, and their history and the
life on the Mohawk thoroughfares are
therefore of prime interest to all the
valley inhabitants.

The early highways and rude roads
of our valley generally followed the
Indian trails. These trails were good,
though only two or three feet wide
and "in many places, the savages kept
the woods clear from underbrush by
burning over large tracts." All
streams had to be forded, except where
the few ferries were, and these fords
often determined the location of

roads. Trees were felled across nar-
row streams to make footbridges and
the colonial governments frequently
ordered these made. "When new paths
were cut through the forests, the set-
tlers 'blazed' the trees, that is they
chopped a piece of bark off tree after
tree, standing on the side of the way.
Thus the 'blazes' stood out clear and
white in the dark shadows of the for-
ests, like welcome guide-posts, show-
ing the traveler his way."

The Indian trails covered eastern
New York and connected the various
Iroquois villages with each other or
led to hunting and fishing grounds
(like the Otsqxiago and Caroga trails)
or into or towards these grounds and
the countries of the enemies of the
Mohawks and their brother tribes —
such as the trail which ran from Can-
ada to the Sacandaga and through
Johnstown, Stone Arabia and Palatine
to the ford at the mouth of the Caroga,
there connecting with the Otsquago
trail. The explorers, soldiers, traders
and "wood-runners" used these Indian
trails and the first white settlers util-
ized them as roads as a matter of
course, because, like the buffalo trails
of the great west, they connected the
most important points and water-
courses and lakes by the shortest and
easiest routes. These western buf-
falo trails were also Indian trails and
are now trunk line railroads. So the
trails naturally became the first valley
highways and most of the more im-
portant of these today are the Indian
trails, enlarged, improved, straight-
ened and graded. Of those of western
Montgomery' co'unty are the north and
south shore Mohawk turnpikes, the old
Caroga road leading to the Caroga,
Canada and other lakes of northern
Fulton county and into the Adiron-
dack country, the Canadian trail
aforementioned leading from Lake
George through Johnstown and Stone
Arabia to the mouth of the Caroga,
and the Otsquago valley road begin-
ning at the other side of the Caroga
ford and running to Otsego lake, the
headwaters of the Susquehanna and
into the Iroquois country.

Over the old Indian valley trails

186

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

or on the river came the first Dutch
explorers and traders with their Iro-
quois guides and helpers and the early
French explorers and priests with
their Algonquin aids and guides. Fol-
lowing them came the Dutch, German
and British settlers carrying their
goods on their backs, on packhorses
or in oxcarts or horsecarts — many of
their fellow pioneers toiling painfully
up against the current of the river in
flatboats to their new homes in the
Mohawk wilderness. Still later with
the settlement and clearing of farms,
these hardy men widened and cleared
the trails and blazed new ones over
which they transported farm and for-
est produce in their rude wooden sleds
and carts. Probably the first valley
cartroad was the one between Albany
and Schenectady after the settlement
of Schenectady in 1661.

Prior to 1800, and even later, these
farm carts and wooden sleds were
made on the farm. Just as all food
and raw materials (such as hemp, flax,
wool, etc.) were grown by the hus-
bandman on his own lands, so was
everything he and his family used
made there. This necessitated an
endless round of toil on the farm, from
sunrise until after sunset all the year
round excepting part of Sundays, but
it made the farmer self-supporting,
self-sufficient and independent of the
world outside his own personal do-
main. Each farm was a kingdom unto
itself. Every homestead had its car-
penter's room or bench, just as it had
its soap kettle, cheese room and smoke
house (and occasional ice house), and
all tools, implements' vehicles and
rude farm machinery were made on
the farm by the farmer himself. The
nearest blacksmith shop supplied the
necessary ironwork.

Later the valley trails, or the cart-
roads they were turned into, were
used by the American and British
troops and their baggage trains during
the Revolution. Following their grad-
ual improvement and the great immi-
gration and traffic following the war
for independence came the turnpikes,
coincident with the building of bridges.
Probably by 1800 the majority of our

Mohawk valley highway system had
been constructed, but it had for its
basis the old Indian trails of the Mo-
hawks. None of these improvements
such as highways and bridges came
of themselves but were the result of
the strenuous work of the early valley
men.

After 1783, it was found necessary to
improve transportation facilities in the
Mohawk valley to accommodate its
population and the tide of emigration
pouring through it to the west. Roads
were iinproved, bridges constructed
and taverns built or remodeled from
farmhouses on the lines of travel.
New towns and counties were also
formed as told in prior chapters.

In April, 1790, the state legisla-
ture voted "£100 for the purpose of
erecting a bridge across the East Can-
ada creek, not exceeding three miles
from the mouth thereof, upon the road
from the Mohawk river to the Royal
Grant." In 1793 commissioners were
appointed by the legislature with di-
rections to build "a bridge over the
East Canada creek, nearly opposite
Canajoharie Castle, on the public road
leading from Tribes Hill to the Little
Falls."

About 1790 stages made weekly
trips in the valley and daily trips after
the completion of the Mohawk turn-
pike. The completion of the Scho-
harie bridge at Fort Hunter and the
construction of the Great Western
turnpike from Albany westward
marked the year 1798. This route
connected with the Mohawk at Cana-
joharie by stages which ran from
Roof's tavern where the Hotel Wag-
ner stands.

The most important of all the valley
roads are north and south shore turn-
pikes which traverse the shores of the
Mohawk for a distance of about ninety
miles between Schenectady and Rome.
In future days these will be splendid
highways and are today most import-
ant roads, the north shore or Mohawk
turnpike being one of the historic
roads of North America and an im-
portant part of the trunk highway be-
tween New York and Buffalo, largely
paralleling the Central railroad sys-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

187

tem, trolley systems and the Barge
canal. Chapter V. of this work gives
n French account of these two river
highways in 1756, covering the dis-
tance mentioned from Rome to Sche-
nectady.

Prior to 1800 the south shore road
seems to have been the more import-
ant but since that time the north
shore or Mohawk turnpike has been
the major one. Over the Mohawk
turnpike vast quantities of crops, raw
material and merchandise were trans-
ported in the half century comprised
in the latter years of the eighteenth
and early part of the nineteenth cen-
turies. It has figured as a Mohawk
Indian trail (until 1700), cart and
horse path (1700-1750), wagon and
stage road (1750-1836), freight wagon
turnpike (1800-1840), bicycle and au-
tomobile touring route (1890-1913)
and has a future, among other things,
as a freight and passenger motor car
line. It is paralleled (1913) through-
out by the New York Central railroad
and by trolley lines from Rome to
Cohoes, with the exception of a
gap between Little Falls and Fonda,
which doubtless will be connected ere
long. The Mohawk turnpike shares,
with the Mohawk river and the early
Erie canal the glory of having been
one of the valley travel routes
by way of which hundreds of
thousands of the ancestors of the
present day westerners made their
way to new homes, prior to the build-
ing of the railroads and even for a
number of years thereafter.

The building of bridges over the
East and West Canada creeks in 1793
made the north shore road the favorite
valley route, and the next forward
step was the improvement of this Mo-
hawk turnpike from Schenectady to
Utica. The charter for its construction
was granted April 4, 1800.

Seth Wetmore, Levi Norton, Ozi'as
Bronson, Hewitt Hills and three others
were the first board of directors. This
road was also called the Albany turn-
pike.

The Mohawk turnpike connected at
Schenectady with the Mohawk and
Hudson turnpike to Albany, the two

forming a continuous trade route over
• one hundred miles in length from Al-
bany and the Hudson valley to Rome
and thence to the Great Lakes and
western New York and the Great
West.

"The charter of the Utica and Sche-
nectady Railroad company, granted in
1833, required it, before beginning
transportation, to purchase the rights
of the Mohawk Turnpike Co. and to
assume the responsibilities of the lat-
ter. One of these responsibilities was
that of keeping the turnpike in re-
pair. It was provided however that
the railroad company might abandon
the turnpike, giving notice to the com-
missioners of highways, and after such
notice it should be kept in order in the
same manner as other highways. The
railroad company for a time took toll
on the turnpike and kept it in repair,
but subsequently removed the gates
and became responsible for the main-
tenance of only a part of the old high-
way."

With the opening of the Erie canal
in 1825, traffic on the Mohawk turn-
pike began to diminish as the freight
wagons could not compete with the
canal boats during the summer
months. Probably they had a consid-
erable use for a number of years, on
the north turnpike in winter and on
other Mohawk valley roads, to the
north and south, all the year round.
The stages continued to largely carry
the valley passenger traffic, sharing it
with the Erie canal packets in the
summer months until after the build-
ing of the Utica and Schenectady rail-
road in 1836. This railroad, like any
other railroad, was and is merely a
highway with an iron bed carrying,
by mechanical motive power, greatly
enlarged editions of the turnpike
stages and freight wagons. Stages
continued in use on other Mohawk
valley roads until the present day.

The legislature in 1802 authorized
the opening of certain roads in the
state, and in pursuance of this act,
the highway called the State road,
leading from Johnstown in a north-
western direction to the Black River
country, was opened. It was subse-

188

THE STOEY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

quently much used while that part of
the country was being settled by emi-
grants from the east.

The improvement of the road, lead-
ing from Schenectady to Utica along
the south side of the Mohawk was
deemed expedient, and commissioners
were appointed in 1806 to direct the
work, their instructions being to
strighten the existing road and open
it to a width of fifty feet. The towns
through which it passed were required
to repair and maintain it if their pop-
ulation was not too small.

The following from Simms's "Fron-
tiersmen of New York," gives a good
picture of the Mohawk turnpike and
life thereon during the early nine-
teenth century:

"While the Mohawk was literally
filled with boats of different kinds —
for nearly every family living upon its
banks had some kind of one — and
Schenectady was a live town for re-
ceiving and dispatching freight on and
off them — large wagons were used in
competition with them in the trans-
portation of merchandise and produce
to and from western New York. The
produce — wheat, whiskey and potash —
came to Albany, from whence mer-
chandise was returned. These wagons,
covered with canvas, and drawn by
three to eight horses, were seen in
numbers on the western and Mohawk
turnpikes. The leaders usually had a
little bell fastened upon the headstall.
Mr. Alonzo Crosby, long superintend-
ent of the eastern part of the western
turnpike, counted up to 50 or more
taverns between Albany and Cherry
Valley, in the distance of 52 miles.
Palatine Church, a hamlet at that time
of some importance on the Mohawk
turnpike, was 61 miles from Albany,
the inns in that distance also averag-
ing one to every mile. Indeed, inn-
keepers were neighbors on those roads
for a hundred miles to the westward'
of Albany. At this period tavern
keeping was a lucrative business, es-
pecially for the hovises prepared with
inclosed sheds and good stabling.

"The horses before these wagons,
which, at times, had a hundred or
more bushels of wheat on, never trav-

eled out of a walk. At the period of
their use, brakes were unknown in de-
scending hills, but a heavy iron shoe
was used on the six-inch tire, which
could be thrown from the wheel at the
foot of a hill Ijy a spring managed by
the foot of the driver. The teamsters
usually went on foot, whip in hand,
and their constant travel had worn a
good foot-path along each side of the
road, near the fence, a hundred miles
from Albany. The horses were seldom
stabled nights, but had an oilcloth
covering and were fed from a box or
trough carried along and attached to
the pole, which could not fall to the
ground. The rear of the wagon was
ornamented with a tar bucket and a
water pail. The wagons were painted
blue or slate color, and the covering
remained white. A small box was se-
cured upon one side or end of the
wagon, containing a hammer, wrench,
currycomb, etc. Those wagons paid
no toll as they filled the ruts made by
farm wagons. Some of the teams were
driven by a single line on the forward
nigh horse, and occasionally a postil-
lion was seen on the nigh wheel horse;
but those large Pennsylvania horses
were so well trained as to be dexter-
ously managed with a long leathern
whip. When it was heavy traveling,
those monster wagons progressed but
a few miles in a day, sometimes being
two weeks in going from Albany to
Geneva, Canandaigua or Rochester.
Freight or merchandise west was, at
first, one dollar a hundred from Albany
to Utica. Although there were so many
taverns on the road, still so numerous
were the teams that, at times, one of
a party in company was mounted and
sent forward before night to secure ac-
commodations with a good wagon-
yard inclosure.

"From two to ten of these large
wagons were sometimes seen in com-
pany, some of them carrying from
three to four tons. The horses were
usually fat. Some carried a jack-
screw for raising an axle to take off a
wheel; but this was seldom done, as a
hole for pouring in tar or grease was
made for the purpose. In ascending
hills, the wagon was blocked at inter-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

189

vals with a stone, carried by the team-
ster behind it. After those mammoth
wagons were supplanted by the Erie
canal, several .of them might have
been seen about the old Loucks tav-
ern, [in Albany] as also at Paul
Clark's inn in the southwest part of
Albany, where some of them rotted
down.

"On the Mohawk turnpike, as re-
membered by Andrew A. Fink, George
Wagner and others, were the following
inn-keepers from Herkimer (80 miles
from Albany) descending the valley.
They may not be named in the order
in which they stood: John Rasback,
John Potter, Heacock; across West
Canada creek, Nathaniel Etheridge,
Upham, James Artcher, a teamster
married one of his daughters. This inn
had a peculiar sign. On o-ne side was
painted a gentleman richly clad and
elegantly mounted on horseback with
this motto, 'I am going to law.' On
the reverse side was a very dilapi-
dated man on a horse, the very pic-
ture of poverty, saying, 'I have been
to law.' [Continuing the list] John
McCombs, Warner Dygert; at Little
Falls, John Sheldon, Carr, Harris,
Major Morgan; below the Falls, A. A.
Fink. From Fink's to East Creek is
five miles, and in that distance were
13 dwellings, 12 of which were
taverns occupied as follows: Bau-
der; William Smith, his sign had on
it an Indian chief; John Petrie, Henry
Shults, James Van Valkenburgh, Law-
rence Timmerman, John Wagner,
Owens, Nathan Christie, Esq., David
Richtmyer, Frederick Getman, James
and Luther Pardee; below East Creek,
John Stauring, Van Dresser, James
Billington, John Bancker, Michael U.
Bauder, Yates, Jacob Failing, a favor-
ite place for large wagons; Zimmer-
man, Joseph Klock, Christian Klock,
Daniel C. Nellis, John C. Nellis,
Brown, Gen. Peter C. Fox, at Palatine
Church; George Fox, John C. Lipe,
George Wagner, Charles Walrath,
Harris, Weaver, Richard Bortle, Nich-
olas Gros, Samuel Fenner, an old sea
captain who spun his skipper's yarns
to customers; Jacob Hees, who also
had a boat and lumber landing at Pal-

atine Bridge; Josiah Shepard, a stage
house; Weatherby, Jost Spraker, John
DeWandelaer, now Schenck's place
near the Nose; Frederick Dockstader,
kept many large wagons; Connelly,
Fred Dockstader, 2d, who had a run
of double teams; Gen. Henry Fonda
at now village of Fonda; Giles Fonda,
Pride, Hardenburgh, Conyne, Lepper;
in Tribes Hill, Kline, Putman, Wil-
son; Guy Park, a favorable place for
large wagons, kept at one time by
McGerk; Col. William Shuler at Am-
sterdam; below were Crane of Cranes -
ville, Lewis Groat, Swart and others
on this part of the route not remem-
bered. At Schenectady are recalled,
Tucker, Jacob Wagner, Shields, while
the names of two others are forgotten,
— one of them had a house in Frog
Alley, which was burned by the slack-
ing of lime. Between Schenectady and
Albany were, Havely, Brooks, Vielie.
The Half-way house was a stage house
and kept by Leavitt Kingsbury, which
became noted for its delicious coffee.

"In the period of wagon transport
when hay was $20 a ton, innkeepers
had one dollar a span for keeping
horses over night; and when hay was
$10 a ton they had 50 cents a span, or
one shilling a pound for hay. In spring
and fall it was a common sight to see
ten or fifteen horses drawing a single
wagon from its fastness in the mud.
The first load of hemp from the west,
said Fink, was a five horse load from
Wadsworth's flats in the Genesee
valley.

"Some of the teamsters were at dif-
ferent times on both (the Mohawk and
the western) turnpikes. Freight from
Albany to Buffalo was at first $5 per
hundred weight, but competition at
one time brought it down to $1.25. The
teamsters on these turnpikes were as
jovial and accommodating set of men,
as ever engaged in any vocation, sel-
dom having any feuds or lasting diffi-
culties. Said Mr. Fink, in 1805-6 when
Oneida and adjoining counties were
receiving many of their pioneer set-
tlers, New England people came pros-
pecting on horseback, with well-filled
saddte-bags and portmanteaus, and he
often had 30 or 40 in a single night to

190

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

entertain at his house below Little
Falls."

This was the day of the stage
coach also and the Mohawk turnpike
presented a spectacle of life and bustle
as it shared with the Mohawk river
the traffic of the valley. This was par-
ticularly so during the years from 1800
to the building of the Erie canal in
1825.

The earliest authentic town rec-
ord of Palatine, now in existence, is
that of a meeting of the commission-
ers of excise, held May 3, 1803, for the ■
purpose of granting licenses to inn-
keepers. The number thus licensed
will give an idea of the teaming and
travel through the Palatine district,
before the days of railroads or canals
or even the completion of the Mohawk
turnpike. The commissioners of ex-
cise were Jacob Ecker, Henry Beek-
man and Peter C. Fox who swore to an
oath, before Justice of the Peace John
Zielley, that "we will not on any ac-
count or pretense whatever, grant any
license to any person within the said
town of Palatine, for the purpose of
keeping an inn or tavern, except when
it shall appear to us to be absolutely
necessary for the benefit of travelers."
Jost Spraker, Henry Cook, Andrew J.
Dillenbeck, John F. Empie, Peter W.
Nellis and 47 others (51 in all) were
granted licenses. The sum paid by
each was from $5 to $6.50, according
to location, amounting in the aggre-
gate for that year to $258.50.

The Mohawk turnpike was the scene
of much military activity during the
years of 1812, 1813 and 1814, caused
by the movement of New York troops
going to defense of the frontier (in
the second war with Great Britain)
and their return at the close of hostil-
ities. It shared this military traffic
with the Mohawk river.

After the railroad trains on the
Utica and Schenectady road (forerun-
ner of the New York Central), started '
running up and down the valley, the
Mohawk turnpike ceased to be a line
of bustling activity and important
traffic route, being used only for local
and farm wagon freightage. Orl the
valley roads about 1880 appeared

riders on the high bicycle and a few
years later the serviceable "safety"
came into use and a veritable "bicycle
craze" was inaugurated which lasted
until about 1900, after which time the
cheap and useful "wheel" took its
rightful place as a means of trans-
port. After 1895 appeared the "bi-
cycle's son" — the automobile, and the
future of our highways lies largely in
their use as automobile freight and
passenger roads — this use probably
always to be supplemented by the
farm horse and wagon. Coeval with
the appearance of the bicycle and au-
tomobile came the trolley car, whose
lines parallel the valley roads in many
places and which will undoubtedly
form a traffic system, together with
the railroads, the Barge canal and
good highways, that will give well-
nigh perfect transportation facilities
to the Mohawk valley. The proper
building of lasting highways is now
one of the most important features of
traffic in the Mohawk region as well
as in New York state. Today we see
regular lines of motor buses carrying
passengers and motor trucks carrying
freight running between different
points in the valley. This is borne out
by the following paragraph from the
Fort Plain Standard of June 19, 1913:

"The Fort Plain and Cooperstown
Transportation Co. will start a pas-
senger, freight and express business
between this village and Cooperstown
July 1. Motor busses will be utilized."

This is doubly interesting as it was
only a few months previous to this
that the Cooperstown-Fort Plain stage
route was abandoned after a duration
of probably a century or more over
this historic route to the Susquehanna
valley.

The interest in automobiles and the
automobile interests were largely re-
sponsible ^'or tlie good roads move-
ment out uv: motor car has been its
own enemy in that the suction of the
rubber tires destroys the surface of
what were once conridered fine roads.
Better materials will doubtless be
found adapted to automobiles and all
other vehicles, but in the meantime
much money has been wasted. Writ-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

191

ing on this subject S. L. Frey has said:
"The automobile road between Albany
and Buffalo runs through Montgom-
ery county for thirty miles. It has
for a foundation the solid strata of
the Silurian rocks and the stone bed
of the old Mohawk turnpike. It passes
through a country of granite bould-
ers, gneiss, sandstone, limestone, all
kinds of ledges, cliffs and quarries,
and yet .$20,000 [cost] a mile. And
the grade some two feet to the mile
with no hills!"

The north shore turnpike is about
forty miles long through Montgomery.
Mr. Frey's article suggests that the
Mohawk valley, with its abundance of
stone supply, is an ideal region for the
construction of ideal roads. Doubt-
less they will come in time. At pres-
ent (1913) the automobile traffic is
enormous, particularly in summer.
An average of a car every two min-
utes has been noted, during a period
of several hours over the old Mohawk
turnpike and the cars come from every
part of the country.

The New York Times of July 20,
1913, published a description of the
autonTiobile route from New York to
Canada by way of the Hudson and
Mohawk valleys. The itinerary in
part, is here given, thus describing
the Mohawk turnpike from Schenec-
tady to Rome in 1913. This is one of
the most important highways of the
United States today just as it was one
of the most noteworthy stage and
freight wagon lines a century previous:

"From Albany, owing to the poor
condition of the direct route, it is ad-
visable to go by way of Loudonville
and Latham's Corners, then over the
Troy-Schenectady State road to Sche-
nectady, whence good macadam leads
through the beautiful Mohawk valley,
passing Scotia, Hoffmans, Amsterdam,
Fort Johnson, Tribes Hill and Fonda.
The road is under construction from
Fonda to Palatine Bridge, and a de-
tour is advisable over a good but nar-
row country road on the south side of
the river. A good State road is fol-
lowed from Palatine Bridge through
Nelliston, St. Johnsville, Little Falls,
Herkimer and Mohawk, and thence

through Ilion, Schuyler and Deerfield
to Utica. The scenery through the
Mohawk valley leaves little to be de-
sired.

"On the other side of Utica the
route leads through Rome, Camden,
Williamstown, Richland, Mansville and
Adams to Watertown. This route of-
fers better road conditions than that
through Boonville and Copenhagen."
The route continues from Watertown
to Ogdensburg and across the St. Law-
rence river to Canada.

The New York Sun, in July, 1913,
published an automobile itinerary
from New York to Cooperstown. It
describes the route and road condi-
tions of the north shore Mohawk turn-
pike, from Schenectady to Nelliston
and the Otsquago valley road from
Fort Plain to Otsego lake, in 1913, and
may be interesting to future readers.
It is here reprinted as follows: "Leav-
ing Albany the run is over a rough
macadam and then poor dirt to Schen-
ectady. Excellent macadam is then
followed through Fonda. A pictur-
esque alternate from Schenectady to
Amsterdam is that via Mariaville. Al-
though a little longer than the first
route, the scenery is enjoyable and the
roads are of good macadam. Between
Fonda and Palatine Bridge the going
is not of the best. Construction work
is going on, but the road is passable,
although very heavy in wet weather.
A continuous panorama of beautiful
views on this drive will more than
recompense one for the discomforting
road conditions. From Palatine Bridge
[through Nelliston and Fort Plain]
the roads are of good macadam and
brick to about one mile before reach-
ing Starkville, where a fairly good dirt
road is encountered and followed
through Van Hornesville to Spring-
field Centre. To Cooperstown from
Springfield Centre good roads are
found. First a dirt road is followed
which offers good going in dry
weather. The balance to Cooperstown
is macadam with some badly worn
stretches. The run down the west side
of Otsego lake is replete with excellent
scenery, affording splendid views of
the lake."

192

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

This Fort Plain-Springfield-Coop-
erstown road is a historic one, devel-
oping from a Mohawli trail, Revolu-
tionary road, stage and freight traffic
route to the automobile highway of
today. Mention has been made of the
unique geographical position of the
Mohawk valley in its being the only
natural break through the Applachian
.range to the west in the Middle Atlan-
tic states. The Otsquago valley occu-
pies a similar position in the southern
central Mohawk basin, as it is a
natural break and easy grade leading
from the Mohawk river to the Susque-
hanna watershed.

The following from the Beers his-
tory of Montgomery county was writ-
ten by Thurlow Weed, for many years
a power in Whig and Republican poli-
tics in N«w York state and editor of
the Albany Journal. It was evidently
written in 1870 and recounts the inci-
dents of a stage coach trip on the Mo-
hawk turnpike in 1824, a year before
the completion of the Erie canal and
in the heyday of Mohawk valley coach-
ing days. Although Mr. Weed, writ-
ing almost a half-century after his
trip, makes many errors in the loca-
tion of stage houses, etc., yet his nar-
rative gives a suggestive picture of
stage coach and freight-wagon days
along the Mohawk in the early years
of the nineteenth century. Mr. Weed's
and other writings of the period, show
that, while Conestoga was the true
name of the great freight wagons and
the stout breed of horses which drew
them, yet they were generally known
in the valley and in New York state
as Pennsylvania wagons and horses.
The part of the sketch of travel on the
Mohawk turnpike by Thurlow Weed,
printed herewith, covers that historic
highway from Fall Hill through Mont-
gomery county. His narrative deals
entirely with the year 1824, except
where he says "Judge Conkling is now
(1870) the oldest surviving New York
member of congress from this dis-
trict." This Judge Conkling of Cana-
joharie, was the father of U. S. Sena-
tor Roscoe Conkling, who became as
much of an influence in the machin-

ery of New York state politics as
Thurlow Weed himself had been.

The proper location of the points
mentioned by Mr. Weed in his jour-
ney, in their order from west to east,
are as follows, according to Simms:
East Creek, Couch's stage house; St.
Johnsville, Failing's tavern; between
Canajoharie and Sprakers (south side
of river), Kane's store; Sprakers,
Spraker's stage house; near Tribes
Hill, Conyne's tavern; Fort Johnson,
at Fort Johnson. Of these, Mr. Weed
correctly located only Couch's tavern
and Fort Johnson. His account follows:

"From Little Falls we come after
an hour's ride to a hill by the bank of
the river, which, several years before,
Gen. Scott was descending in a stage
when the driver discovered at a sharp
turn near the bottom of the hill a
Pennsylvania wagon winding its way
up diagonally. The driver saw but
one escape from a disastrous collision,
and that to most persons would have
appeared even more dangerous than
the collision. The driver however,
having no time for reflection, instantly
guided his team over the precipice and
into the river, from which the horses,
passengers, coach and driver, were
safely extricated. The passengers,
following Gen. Scott's example, made
the driver a handsome present as a
reward for his courage and sagacity.

"We dine at East Canada Creek,
where the stage house, kept by Mr.
Couch, was always to be relied on for
excellent ham and eggs and fresh
brook trout. Nothing of especial in-
terest until we reach Spraker's, a well
known tavern that neither stages nor
vehicles of any description were ever
known to pass. Of Mr. Spraker, senior,
innumerable anecdotes were told. He
was a man without education, but
possessed strong good sense, consider-
able conversational powers, and much
natural humor. Most of the stories
told about him are so Joe-Millerish
that I will repeat but one of them. On
one occasion, he had a misunderstand-
ing with a neighbor, which provoked
both to say hard things of each other.
Mr. Spraker having received a verbal
hot shot from his antagonist, reflected

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

193

a few moments and replied, 'Ferguson,
dare are worse men in hell dan you;"
adding after a pause, 'but they are
chained.' *********

"At Canajoharie a tall handsome
man with graceful manners, is added
to our list of passengers. This is the
Hon. Alfred Conkling, who in 1820 was
elected to congress from this district,
and who has just been appointed judge
of the United States District Court,
for the Northern District of New York,
by Mr. Adams. Judge Conkling is now
(in 1870) the oldest surviving New
York member of congress. In passing
Conyne's hotel, near the Nose, the fate
of a young lady who 'loved not wisely
but too well,' with an exciting
trial for breach of promise, etc., would
be related. Still further east we stop
at Failing's tavern to water. Though
but an ordinary tavern in the summer
season, all travelers cherish a pleasant
remembrance of its winter fare; for
leaving a cold stage with chilled limbs,
if not frozen ears, you were sure to
find in Failing's bar and dining-
rooms 'rousing fires;' and the remem-
brance of the light lively 'hot and hot'
buckwheat cakes, and the unimpeach-
able sausages, would renew the appe-
tite even if you had just risen from a
hearty meal.

"Going some miles further east we
come in sight of a building on the
west side of the Mohawk river, and
near its brink, the peculiar architec-
ture of which attracts attention. This
was formerly Charles Kane's store, or
rather the store of the brothers Kane,
five of whom were distinguished mer-
chants in the early years of the pres-
ent century. They were all gentlemen
of education, commanding in person,
accomplished and refined in manners
and associations. * * * Here Com-
modore Charles Morris, one of the most
gallant of our naval officers, who in
1812 distinguished himself on board
the United States Frigate 'Constitu-
tion' in her engagement with the Brit-
ish frigate 'Guerriere' passed his boy-
hood. In 1841, when I visited him on
board of the United States seventy-
four gun ship 'Franklin,' lying off An-
napolis, he informed me that among

his earliest recollections, was the
launching and sailing of miniature
ships on the Mohawk river. On the
opposite side of the river, in the town
of Florida, is the residence of Dr.
Alexander Sheldon, for twelve years a
member of the legislature from Mont-
gomery county, serving six years as
speaker of the house of assembly. The
last year Dr. S. was in the legislature,
one of his sons, Milton Sheldon, was
also a member from Monroe county.
Another son. Smith Sheldon, who was
educated for a dry goods merchant,
drifted some years ago to the city of
New York, and is now the head of the
extensive publishing house of Sheldon
& Co., Broadway.

"The next points of attraction were
of much historical interest. Sir Wil-
liam and Guy Johnson built spacious
and showy mansions a few miles west
of the village of Amsterdam, long be-
fore the Revolution, in passing which,
interesting anecdotes relating to the
English Baronet's connection with the
Indians were remembered. A few
miles west of Sir William -Johnson's,
old stagers would look for an addition
to our number of passengers in the
person of Daniel Cady, a very eminent
lawyer, who resided at Johnstown, and
for more than fifty years was con-
stantly passing to and from Albany.
At Amsterdam, Marcus T. Reynolds,
then a rising lawyer of that village,
often took his seat in the stage, and
was a most companionable traveler."

Mr. Simms, commenting on this
sketch, indorses the author's refer-
ence to circumstances "which com-
pelled the male passengers at times to
get out into the mud, and with rails
appropriated from the nearest fence,
to pry the wheels up so that the horses
could start anew. Two miles an hour
was not unfrequently, in the spring
and fall, good speed at certain locali-
ties."

Correcting Mr. Weed's errors, as to
locality, Mr. Simms says: "Conyne's
hotel was three miles east of Fonda
(he says near the Nose; if so there
may have been two keepers of the
same name), and * * * Failing's
tavern was at St. Johnsville, and some

194

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

twelve miles to the westward of the
Nose, and more than twenty miles to
the westward of Conyne's. At Pala-
tine Bridge was one of the most noted
stage houses in the valley. It was
built and first kept by Shepherd, and
afterwards by the late Joshua Reed,
and was as widely and favorably
known as any other public house
within fifty miles of it."

For a clear and comprehensive de-
scription of old turnpike days, travel
and vehicles, the reader is advised to
consult Alice Morse Earle's "Home
Life in Colonial Days."

CHAPTER VIII.

1793-1913— First Bridges in Middle
Mohawk Valley and Montgomery
County — Celebration at Opening of
Fort Plain Bridge, July 4, 1806 — Fort
Plain Free Bridge, 1858.

This is the third chapter on Mohawk
valley transportation. The two prior
ones were on river and turnpike traf-
fic. Those to follow relate to Erie
canal, railroads and Barge canal and
Atwood's aeroplane flight.

The increase of population in Tryon,
now Montgomery county, following the
Revolutionary war, and the increase
in traffic along the Mohawk necessi-
tated improvements in river naviga-
tion and in the highways, as has been
noted in preceding chapters. Great
numbers of new settlers were journey-
ing through the valley to points in the
middle west, aside from those who
were coming into the Mohawk valley
and into western and northern New
York to permanently locate. The fords
and ferries on the Mohawk and its
contributory creeks had been the
only and diflicult means of cross-
ing these streams, during the eigh-
teenth century which was the per-
iod of first settlement and devel-
opment. The greatly increased
traffic necessitated the construction of
bridges and the building of these was
one of the marked features of the life
along the Mohawk at the beginning of
the nineteenth century.

A list of the important bridges and
the dates of their construction in the

eastern part of the Mohawk valley
follows:

East (Canada) creek, 1793; Scho-
harie creek at Fort Hunter, 1798;
Schoharie creek at Mill Point, 1800;
Little Falls (prior to), 1802;
across the Mohawk at Canajoharie,
1803; Fort Plain (Sand Hill), 1806;
Schenectady, 1810; Fonda (Caughna-
waga), 1811; Amsterdam, 1823; Yosts.
1825 (carried away by ice shortly
after); Fort Hunter, 1852; St. Johns-
ville, 1852.

These cross-overs were all wooden
structures and these picturesque
bridges have all been replaced by
those of modern iron construction.
The last of the old-timers to go was
that at St. Johnsville, and many of
them had formerly been undermined
and carried away by ice during the
Mohawk spring freshets. Each had its
toll-keeper and the quaint list of tolls,
in well-painted characters, which •
stood at the west side of the East
Creek bridge was long of interest to
later-day travelers.

The first important structure span-
ning a stream within the present lim-
its of Montgomery and Fulton coun-
ties was the bridge at East (Canada)
creek. In April, 1790, the state legis-
lature voted "one hundred pounds for
the purpose of erecting a bridge across
the East Canada creek, not exceeding
three miles from the mouth thereof,
upon the road from the Mohawk river
to the Royal Grant." In 1793, com-
missioners were appointed by the leg-
islature to build "a bridge over the
East Canada creek, nearly opposite
Canajoharie Castle, on the public road
leading from Tribes Hill to the Little
Falls," also over West Canada creek.

In 1798 a very important bridge was
built on the south shore turnpike over
the Schoharie creek at Fort Hunter.
The improvement of the Mohawk
(north shore) turnpike from Schenec-
tady to Utica, about 1800, necessitated
the erection of other structures across
streams, which had formerly been
forded by travelers.

The first bridge across the Mohawk
was probably the one at Little Falls
noted by Rev. John Taylor in his diary

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

195

of his valley tour of 1802. This was six-
teen rods long, and it is mentioned in
a former chapter of this work on Mo-
hawk river traffic.

The second bridge over the Mohawk
river in the valley seems to have been
the one erected at Canajoharie in 1803,
by Theodore Burr of Jefferson county.
This was popularly called a bow
bridge and consisted of a single arch
.330 feet long. It fell in 1807 with a
crash that was heard foi» miles. In
1808 a second bridge was built which
was carried away in the spring freshet
of 1822. David I. Zielley. a Palatine'
farmer, built a third bridge which
"went out" with the ice in 1833, and
Simms says "its destruction was a
most splendid sight from Canajoharie,
as the writer well remembers." A
new bridge was built by August, 1833,
which remained in use in part up to
recent years. The Canajoharie bridge
was rebuilt in 1913.

The third bridge to be completed
and used across the Mohawk was that
built at the lower end of "the Island,"
which lies in the Mohawk at the
northern limits of Fort Plain. This
structure consisted of two bridges
with several rods of the roadway of
the island intervening between them —
the shorter one on the western shore
and the longer one on the eastern side
of the island. The Mohawk here runs
north and south and the main channel
was on the east side of the island.
The Minden exit was near the store
of James Oothout, the early Minden
tradesman.

This was officially called the
"Montgomery bridge," but came to be
called in the neighborhood, "Oot-
hout's bridge." The commissioners
for its erection were James Beardsley
of East Creek, Col. Charles Newkirk
and Col. Peter Wagner of Palatine
Church, for the east side, and Messrs.
Oothout, Gansevoort, Dygert, Arndt
and Keller for the west side. Beards-
ley, himself a millwright, was its con-
tractor and Philip Washburn, who
had worked under Burr, who built the
Canajoharie bridge, was boss carpen-
ter under Beardsley. These twin
bridges, like many such early struc-

tures were of wood, not covered and
rested upon wooden piers or supports.
The toll house was upon the Fort
Plain side of the river. The timber
for the "north bridge" (as generally
called) came mostly from the Wag-
ner farm, while that for the "south"
bridge came from Snellsbush. Al-
though the river runs north and south
from Palatine Church to Canajoharie,
the river sides are generally called
north and south sides as in the rest of
the valley where the course of the
Mohawk is generally east and west.
After the Canajoharie bridge fell in
1807 it was the only bridge across the
Mohawk in the present county until
the new one at Canajoharie was built.
James Beardsley of East Creek was
one of the Fort Plain bridge commis-
sioners because at that date (1806 and
until 1817) Montgomery county ran
west to Fall Hill.

Simms says that the completion of
Fort Plain bridge "was celebrated
with no little pomp on the 4th of
July, 1806, and took place on the north
[east] bank of the river not far from
the bridge. Gen. Peter C. Fox, in full
uniform and mounted upon a splendid
gray horse, was grand marshal on the
occasion, and had at his command a
company of artillery with a cannon,
and Capt. Peter Young's well-mounted
cavalry. The latter company is said
to have trotted across the bridge to
test its strength, and a severe one that
would naturally be. Besides several
yoke of oxen were driven over it to
obtain a still further proof of its com-
pleteness, while a cannon blazed away
at one end of it. Some one delivered
an oration on this occasion. A dinner
was served at the public house of the
elder George Wagner to the multi-
tude, who looked upon the completion
of this enterprise as a marked event —
and, indeed, such it was, for the ser-
vices of ferrymen who had pulled at
the rope for years, a little below, were
now at an end and the delay and dan-
ger of crossing by ferriage was obvi-
ated.

"Methinks I can now see the table
on which this dinner was served,
groaning under the burden of good

196

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

eatables; its head adorned with a
good sized pig roasted whole — a sight
yet common fifty years ago, but now
seldom seenat the festive board. This
Wagner place is the present [1882]
homestead [now burned] of the old
innkeeper's grandson, Chauncey Wag-
ner. This remarkable bridge celebra-
tion was kept up three successive days,
the parties dancing each night at the
Wagner tavern, where Washburn and
his hands boarded.

"When this bridge was erected,
nearly all there was of Fort Plain —
which took its name from the [former]
military post nearby — was in the vi-
cinity of this bridge. True, Isaac
Paris had a few years before been
trading at the now Bleecker residence
in the present village, and Casper Lipe
had another store for a time near the
creek bridge; but besides the Oothout
store, Conrad Gansevoort had one half
a mile below at Abeel's; while on the
hill near the meeting house, Robert
McFarlan was then trading — besides
there were several mechanics within
the same distance, all of whom are
said to have done a prosperous busi-
ness. * * * The ice took off the
northern or principal structure of the
Island Bridge in April, 1825, after it
had served the public for nineteen
years."

At that time a growing, lively little
village was on the present site of Fort
Plain and had entirely usurped in im-
portance the old Sand Hill section.
Consequently the next bridge was
built at the present river bridge
site and was opened for carriages,
January 1, 1829. This was a sub-
stantial covered bridge, like many
similar structures in the valley at that
day. The bridge stock of the Island
Bridge company had not been a pro-
fitable investment and stock in the
new bridge company was riot greatly
sought after. This bridge went out in
the spring "high water" of 1842 and
lodged on Ver Planck's (now Nellis)
island and on the Gros flats. A new
bridge was built in the summer of
1842 and lasted until the spring of
1887, when the ice broke down the
abutments, during the spring flood

and carried the bridge away. The
present iron structure which replaced
it is said to be the longest single span
iron bridge of its type in Central New
York.

A free bridge, across the Mohawk at
Fort Plain was projected in 1857 and
work on an iron bridge, to stand just
north of the present one, was begun
in the same summer. Before the ma-
sonry was completed the work was
stopped by .an injunction, which de-
layed its completion until the sum-
mer of 1858 when the bridge was open-
ed absolutely free to the public and the
covered bridge company thereby ceas-
ed taking toll. Litigation over the
two bridges between the two com-
panies finally resulted in the free
bridge people obtaining possession of
the old bridge at a serious loss to the
stockholders interested in the latter.
The iron bridge was finally disposed
of and the proceeds used to raise and
put into condition the covered bridge
which continued to be free to the pub-
lic. The late William Aplin says that,
about the middle of the nineteenth
century, the farmers of this neighbor-
hood used to utilize a large door in the
bridge for the purpose of dumping the
manure from their farms into the Mo-
hawk! Thus have farmers and farm-
ing methods changed between that
time and this.

Says Simms: "The Fort Plain free
bridge movement had a direct ten-
dency to make nearly all the other
bridges on the river free bridges; the
time having arrived when the enter-
prise of the country demanded the
measure. In 1859 an act was passed
to erect a free bridge at Canajoharie
or compel the sale of the old one — to
be made free — which result followed."

In 1825, it has been previously noted
a bridge across the Mohawk was
erected between Yosts, at the western
end of the town of Mohawk and Ran-
dall, in the eastern end of the town of
Root. This was shortly after swept
away by ice. In 1852 a bridge was
built across the Mohawk at St. Johns-
ville, on the site of the present struc-
ture, thus completing the three bridges

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

197

which span the river in western
Montgomery county.

A feature of bridge building on the
Mohawlv is today (1913) the bridges
erected by the state in connection with
the Barge canal locks. These may be
utilized by the towns, on which they
abut, constructing proper approaches.
In western Montgomery county these
locks and bridges are at Fort Plain,
Canajoharie and Yosts (Randall). The
Amsterdam bridge was rebuilt in 1913.

It is difficult today to realize the im-
portance of the erection of the first
bridges to the valley people. It meant
greater trade and intercourse among
themselves and with the outside world
and the construction of an important
bridge was invariably followed by an
increased population center at one or
both ends of the structure. Commun-
ities like Fort Plain and Canajoharie,
which have been deprived of their
bridges, can thoroughly realize the im-
portance of such viaducts of traffic
and transportation and the necessity
for the permanence of their construc-
tion and efficiency of their upkeep.
Good roads and good bridges go to-
gether as prime essentials for civilized
agricultural regions.

CHAPTER IX.

1812 — The Militia System — Trainings —
War With England — The Mohawk
Valley Militia.

After the Revolutionary war was
crowned by peace, the men of America
kept up their military training and the
militia system arose, under which mar-
tial exercise was regularly practised.
The officers and men supplied them-
selves with their necessary military
arms and outfit, and this system con-
tinued for over a half century after
the close of the war for independence.

Beers's History says: "This militia
consisted of all the able-bodied white
male population, between 18 and 45.
State officers, clergymen and school
teachers were exempt from such duty.
Students in colleges and academies,
employes on coasting vessels, and in
certain factories, and members of fire

companies were also exempt, except in
case of insurrection or invasion. Per-
sons (like Quakers) whose only bar to
military service was religious scru-
ples could purchase exemption for a
set sum paid annually. The major-
general, brigade-inspector and chief of
the staff department, except the ad-
jutant and commissary generals, were
appointed by the Governor. Colonels
were chosen by the captains and sub-
alterns of the regiments, and these
latter by the written ballots of their
respective regiments and separate
battalions. The commanding officers
of regiments or battalions appointed
their staff officers. Every non-com-
missioned, officer and private was
obliged to equip and uniform himself,
and perform military duty for 15
years from enrollment, after which he
was exempt except in case of in-
surrection or invasion. A non-com-
missioned officer could get excused
from duty in seven years, by fur-
nishing himself with certain speci-
fied equipment, other than those
required by law. It was the duty
of the commanding officer of each
company to enroll all military sub-
jects within the limits of his juris-
diction, and they must equip them-
selves within six months after being
notified.

"On the first September Monday of
each year, every company of the mi-
litia was obliged to assemble within
its geographical limits for training.
One day in each year, between Sept. 1
and Oct. 15, at a place designated by
the commander of the brigade, the
regiment was directed to assemble for
general training. All the officers of
each regiment or battalion were re-
quired to rendezvous two days in suc-
cession, in June, July or August, for
drill under the brigade inspector. A
colonel also appointed a day for the
commissioned officers and musicians
of his regiment to meet for drill, the
day after the last mentioned gathering
being generally selected. Each mi-
litiaman was personally notified of an
approaching muster by a non-com-
missioned officer bearing a warrant
from the commandant of his company;

198

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

or he might be summoned without a
warrant by a commissioned officer,
either by visit or letter. A failure to
appear, or to bring the necessary
equipment, resulted in a court-mar-
tial and a fine, unless a good excuse
could be given. Delinquents who
could not pay were imprisoned in the
county jail. When a draft was order-
ed for public service it was made by
lot in each company, which was or-
dered out on parade for that purpose."

"General training" was a great holi-
day for everybody in the neighbor-
hood where it was held. The militia-
men and their wives and families (and
particularly the small boys) together
with the "exempts" turned out and
made an enjoyable and festive day of
it. The place of meeting and the ex-
tent of the parade grounds were desig-
nated by the commanding officer. The
sale of liquor on the ground could only
be carried on by the consent of the
same official, but total abstinence sel-
dom seems to have been the rule on
this eventful day. The flats near Fort
Plain were favorite places for "general
training."

The first company of cavalry or-
ganized in this part of the Mohawk
valley took in a large district of coun-
try and was raised and commanded by
Capt. Hudson (a merchant of Indian
Castle, and probably the Capt. B.
Hudson, who commanded Fort Plain
in 1786) early in the nineteenth cen-
tury. Peter Young of Fort Plain, be-
came its second captain, and he was
succeeded by Capt. Wemple (of Cana-
joharie). At his death Jacob Eacker
of Palatine, became captain, and on
his resignation Nicholas N. Van Al-
stine commanded. As he was not the
unanimous choice of the company,
which was then a large one, his se-
lection led to a division into two com-
panies, that on the north side of the
Mohawk being commanded by Barent
Getman. In 1836, the major general of
the second division of militia was an
Amsterdam man bearing the singular
name of Benedict Arnold. Aaron C
Whitlock of Ephratah was brigadier-
general in the same division.

At the time of the War of 1812, the

state of New York, along the Canadian
frontier, was largely a wilderness and
transportation thence was slow and
laborious. The slightly improved Mo-
hawk river was the only route, except
the valley highways, for the westward
conveyance of cannon. This heavy or-
dinance was loaded on Durham boats
and so sent up the river. April 10,
1812, congress authorized a draft of
100,000 men from the militia of the
country to prosecute the war with
England; 13,500 of these were as-
signed as the quota of New York. A
few days later the detached militia of
the state was arranged in two divis-
ions and eight brigades. The fourth
brigade comprised the 10th, 11th and
13th regiments in the Mohawk valley
and was under the command of Gen.
Richard Dodge of Johnstown, a vet-
eran of the Revolution (and a brother-
in-law of Washington Irving). These
troops went to the front and returned
largely by the north and south shore
turnpikes.

Says Beers: "The embargo act was
extensively violated and much illicit
trade carried on along the Canadian
frontier, smugglers sometimes being
protected by armed forces from the
Canadian side. To break up this state
of things and protect the military
stores collected at the outposts, a reg-
iment of valley militia, under Col.
Christopher P. Bellinger, was stationed
in May, 1812, at Sackett's Harbor and
other points in Northern New York.
These on the declaration of war in the
following month (June, 1812) were re-
inforced by a draft on the militia not
yet called into service. The Mont-
gomery county militia responded
promptly to the calls for troops to de-
fend the frontier, and were noted for
their valor and patriotic zeal, sub-
mitting without complaint to the var-
ious privations incident to the march
and camp. A detachment of them un-
der Gen. Dodge arrived at Sackett's
Harbor, Sept. 21, 1812, and the gen-
eral took command at the post. Dur-
ing the two succeeding years, the mi-
litia and volunteers from the Mohawk
valley were on duty all along the fron-
tier. When the term of service of any

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

199

company or regiment expired it was
succeeded by another. Many of the
garrison of Sackett's Harbor, when it
was attacked by the British, May 24,
1813, were from this section. That
place was an important depot of mili-
tary stores, a large amount of which
was destroyed by the garrison, in fear
of its falling into the hands of the
British, who, however, were finally re-
pulsed.

"The house in the town of Florida,
later owned by Waterman Sweet, was
kept as a hotel by one Van Derveer,
during the war of 1812, and was a
place of drafting militia into the ser-
vice.

"At Canajoharie, a recruiting ren-
dezvous was opened by Lieut. Al-
phonso Wetmore and Ensign Robert
Morris of the Thirteenth regiment,
both residents of Ames, who raised
two companies which were ordered to
the Niagara frontier in time to take
part in the first events of importance
in that quarter. The Thirteenth suf-
fered severely at the battle of Queens-
town Heights, Ensign Morris and
Lieut. Valleau being among the killed
and five other officers severely wound-
ed. After that engagement operations
were for some time confined to bom-
bardment across the Niagara river
from the fortifications at [Fort] Ni-
agara and Black Rock [now part of
Buffalo]. . At the latter point Lieut.
Wetmore lost his right arm by a can-
non shot. He was subsequently pro-
moted to the offices of major and di-
vision paymaster."

At the time of the publication of
Beers's History in 1878, a goodly num-
ber of the Montgomery and Fulton
veterans of 1812 still survived. They
are therein mentioned as follows:
Moses Winn, Minden, in his 88th year
(his father was a captain in the Revo-
lution and sheriff of the county after
the war) ; George Bauder, 'Palatine, in
his 92d year; John Walrath, Minden,
nearly 82; William H. Seeber, Minden,
about 86; Peter G. Dunckel, Minden,
about 84; Henry Nellis, Palatine, about

84; John Casler, Minden, nearly 86;
Abram Moyer, Minden, about 84;
Cornelius Clement Flint, Minden, about
84; Benjamin Getman, Ephratah, 86;
Henry Lasher, Palatine, 88; Pytha-
goras Wetmore, Canajoharie, 80; John
Eigabroadt, St. Johnsville, about 82.
In the eastern part may be mentioned:
J. Lout, Mohawk; David Ressiguie,
94; Amasa Shippee, Capt. Reuben
Willard, Northampton. It is only a
few years ago (from the date of this
writing, 1912) that the great public
funeral occurred in New York of
Hiram Cronk, the last survivor of the
War of 1812, and a resident of the Mo-
hawk valley throughout his life, his
death occurring near Utica. At the
time of the war of 1812, it should be
remembered that Montgomery and
Fulton were one county — Montgomery.
Its western limit was a line running
north and south from Fall Hill.

One of the leading figures in the
1812 militia of the old Canajoharie dis-
trict was Major John Herkimer, son of
Capt. George Herkimer and nephew of
General Nicholas Herkimer. At that
time the river section of the district
was divided into the towns of Min-
den and Canajoharie, and Major Her-
kimer was a resident of that western
portion of Minden which later, in
1817, became Danube, when it was in-
cluded in Herkimer county. He occu-
pied the Herkimer homestead until
1817. John Herkimer represented
Montgomery county in 1799 in the state
assembly. March 13, 1813, he was
commissioned a major in Col. Mill's
New York volunteer regiment. Major
Herkimer was in the battle at Sack-
ett's Harbor, when Col. Mills was kill-
ed. Herkimer was a leading anti-
Clintonian and was a member of con-
gress in 1822, where he voted for John
Quincy Adams in the electoral college
deadlock which threw the election into
congress. He was a Herkimer county
judge and was generally known as
Judge Herkimer.

200

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

CHAPTER X.

1817-1825 — Construction of Erie Canal
— Clinton's Triumphal Trip — Fort
Plain's Celebration.

This chapter on the Erie canal is the
fourth chapter describing transporta-
tion in the Mohawk valley. Former
ones dealt with Mohawk river traffic,
valley highways and bridges. Those
following the present one treating of
the Erie canal concern railroad build-
ing, the Barge canal and the first aero-
plane flight by Atwood, in all seven
chapters on Mohawk valley traffic con-
ditions. The Erie canal is supplied
with water from the Mohawk river
and thus is closely connected with
that stream.. This is therefore the
fourth chapter relative to the Mo-
hawk. The first described the Mo-
hawk river and its valley, the second
considered Mohawk river traffic, the
third treated of river and other bridges,
the present and fourth covers the Erie
canal and the fifth will be on the
Barge canal and the sixth will con-
sider the geology of the middle Mo-
hawk valley.

Canal construction in the United
States in the early nineteenth century
was part of that great movement for
the improvement of transportation
which followed the war for independ-
ence and began almost immediately at
the conclusion of peace in 1783. As a
general rule, turnpike and bridge
building inaugurated this movement,
followed by canal and railroad con-
struction in the second and third de-
cades of the nineteenth century. The
first American canal of importance
was the Lehigh, completed in 1821.
running 108 miles from Coalport, Pa.,
to Easton, Pa. The second was the
Champlain canal, completed in 1822,
and running 81 miles from Whitehall,
N. y., to Watervliet, N. Y. In dis-
cussing the Erie canal we consider
one of the most important trade routes
and canals of the world.

The construction of Erie canal from
1817 to 1825 gave the greatest impetus
to the development of population, trade
and commerce in the Mohawk valley
that it has ever experienced. Certain

towns and villages owe their location
and growth almost entirely to "Clin-
ton's ditch" and are therefore Canal
towns. In Montgomery county. Fort
Plain, Canajoharie and Fultonville be-
long to this class. In the heyday of
canaling these were among the most
important canal towns on the Erie be-
tween Utica and Schenectady. Fort
Plain was then as at present (1913)
the largest town in the 40-mile strip
between Little Falls and Amsterdam,
and Canajoharie, with its dry dock and
boat building works, was equally im-
portant.

The project of a continuous water-
way from the Hudson to the Great
Lakes had been agitated ever since
the days of the earliest settlement of
New York state and the Mohawk
river-Wood creek-Oneida lake-Oswego
river route is the parent of the Erie
canal and was in use as the water
route (with the carry at Wood creek)
from the Hudson to Lake Ontario for
two centuries before the completion
of the Erie canal. Washington, on his
tour of the valley in 1783, was greatly
impressed by the water communica-
tions of the regions, as is shown in a
prior chapter.

The incorporation of the Inland
Lock Navigation Co. in 1792 was the
first step toward canalizing this Mo-
hawk river to the lakes route, which,
had previously been traver.sed exclu-
sively by canoes, dugouts and flat-
boats. This company was not suc-
cessful as has been shown and sold
out to the state in 1820.

Mrs. Earle, in her work, "Home Life
in Colonial Days," states that the Hud-
son-to-the-Great Lakes canal project
was proposed in the New York pro-
vincial assembly as early as 1768.

While the Erie canal was doubtless
the outcome of the public-spirited ef-
forts of a number of the state's most
progressive' and far-seeing citizens, it
is true that particular credit for the
inauguration of the enterprise is due a
few moving spirits. The "Live Wire,"
a publication issued by the Buffalo
Chamber of Commerce, devoted its is-
sue of August, 1913, to the Barge
canal with incidental allusion to its

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

201

predecessor, the Erie. It stated that
the Erie canal was generally called
the "Grand Canal" during its period
of construction. The periodical men-
tioned gives great credit for New York
state taking up the construction of the
waterway to Jesse Hawley. a resident
of Ontario county. On Jan. 14, 1807,
he published an article in the Pitts-
burgh "Commonwealth" urging the
building of the Albany to Buffalo
canal, under the signature "Hercules."
He was at that time temporarily living
in Pittsburgh. The "Live Wire" says
that prior to this time no one had
printed a word or spoken a word in
pu)ilic in favor of this measure. On
Hawley's return to his previous home
in Ontario county. New York,' he pub-
lished a series of fourteen articles in
the "Ontario Messenger" (also known
as the "Genesee Messenger"), a news-
paper issued at Canandaigua. These
papers constituted a complete exposi-
tion of the whole subject, setting forth
the advantages of the work, describing
the canals of Europe, comparing the
Erie canal scheme with them and es-
timating the cost — which estimate
closely approximated the actual ex-
pense of the canal afterward built. It
is interesting to note that the initial
measure taking up the subject of 'the
public work, was introduced into the
state assembly by Judge Forman, from
the then great county of Ontario,
where Hawley resided and where his
views were published.

At Schenectady in 1803, Gouverneur
Morris suggested to Simeon DeV/itt,
state surveyor, a project for conveying
the water of Lake Erie direct to the
Hudson, by means of a canal so con-
structed as to preserve a continuous
fall to the high lands bordering on the
river, which should be surmounted by
• the use of locks. The surveyor-gen-
eral, in common with most of those
to whom the scheme was mentioned,
regarded the project as visionary. He
so represented it to James Geddes, a
surveyor of Onondaga county. Geddes,
on reflection, decided it practical. The
proposition was first brought before
the legislature by Joshua Forman,
member from Onondaga, Feb. 4, 1808.

A committee was appointed to inves-
tigate the subject and reported in favor
of an examination of the route (both
from Oneida lake to Lake Ontario and
from Lake Erie eastward to the Hud-
son). This was made by the afore-
mentioned James Geddes, who made a
favorable report to the committee. A
further survey was made in 1810 and
the cost of the canal estimated at
$5,000,000. The length of the canal
was estimated at 350 miles and the
cost of transportation at $6 per ton.
Appeals for help from the national
government having failed, the canal
commissioners were, by the legisla-
ture, authorized to obtain a loan of
$5,000,000, and procure the right of
way.

Further progress was- prevented by
the War of 1812, but toward the close
of 1815 the project was revised. In
spite of much opposition, the efforts of
the canal champions both in and out
of the legislature (especially Dewitt
Clinton), procured the passage of an
act Apr. 17, 1816, providing for the
appointment of commissioners to take
up the work. The following formed
this board: Dewitt Clinton, Stephen
Van Rensselaer, Samuel Young, Jo-
seph Elliott and Myron Holies. Clin-
ton was president. The plan of a con-
tinuous slope from Lake Erie, first
proposed, was abandoned by the com-
mission, and that of following the un-
dulations of the surface adopted. Five
millions was again estimated as the
full cost of construction. April 15,
1817, an act prepared by Clinton was
passed, in the face of great opposi-
tion, authorizing the commencement
of the actual work. The canal project
had always been considered by many
a ruinous experiment and "lamenta-
tions were frequently heard on the
miseries of an overtaxed people and
their posterity." Says Beers:

"The canal was divided into three
sections, from Albany to Rome, Rome
to the Seneca river, and thence to
Lake Erie. Charles C. Broadhead was
engineer in charge of the eastern di-
vision, Benjamin Wright of the middle
division and James Geddes of the
western. The canal was planned to be

202

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

40 feet wide at the surface, 28 at the
bottom and the depth of water to be
four feet. The locks were 90 feet long
and 12 wide in the clear. The com-
missioners were authorized to borrow,
on the credit of the State, sums not
exceeding $400,000 in any one year.
Nearly $50,000 had been spent in ex-
j^loration and surveys on the work be-
fore ground was broken." These fig-
ures seem insignificantly petty com-
pared with the vast sums that have
since been frequently wasted on so-
called public improvements.

Ground was broken at Rome, July 4,
1817, in the presence of DeWitt Clin-
ton, the canal's greatest champion,
who was then governor of New York
and the canal commissioners. John
Richardson held the plow in opening
the first furrow. "It was more than
two years before any part of the line
was ready for use. On the 22d of Oc-
tober, 1819, the first boat was launched
at Rome to run to Utica for passenger
use. It was called the 'Chief Engi-
neer;' was 61 feet long, seven and one-
half feet wide; had two cabins, each
14 feet long, with a flat deck between
them., and was drawn by one horse.
The next day [Oct. 23, 1819], the com-
missioners and some of the most
prominent citizens of Utica embarked
there for the return trip to Rome and
set off with a band playing, bells ring-
ing, cannon thundering and thousands
of spectators cheering from the banks.

"On the 21st of July, 1820, tolls were
first levied, the rates being fixed by
the commissioners; the amount re-
ceived that year [in the short stretch
then in use] was over $5,000, taken by
six collectors. The canal was used
between Rome and Little Falls in the
autumn of 1821, the contractor at the
latter point availing himself of the
unprofitable labors of the Inland Lock
Navigation Co. (previously referred
to) ; and the portion east to the Hud-
son was under contract. Meanwhile
the river floated the canal boats from
Little Falls to Schenectady. The Mo-
hawk valley, below the former point,
was thoroughly explored under the su-
pervision of Benjamin Wright, chief
engineer, and the intended direct line.

from Schenectady to the Hudson river
near Albany, was abandoned in favor
of the course of the Mohawk river
[from Schenectady to Cohoes]. The
accuracy of the engineering work on
the line was considered wonderful, in
view of the fact that the engineers,
Wright and Geddes, had had no pre-
vious experience of the kind, having
been only land surveyors before their
employment on this great work.

"In the spring of 1823, the canal was
open uninterruptedly from Sprakers
[thus including most of the line
through the five western towns of
Montgomery county] to the western
part of the state and in September
following [Sept., 1823] the St. Johns-
ville feeder was completed. The spot
at the 'Nose,' however, was still un-
finished, and, at that point, merchan-
dise was transferred to river boats
past the unfinished section.

"In the latter stages of the great
work unexpectedly rapid progress was
made, its success being now assured,
and on the 26th of October, 1825, the
finishing touch had been given and
the canal was thrown open to navi-
gation throughout, by the admission
of water from Lake Erie at Black
Rock [Buffalo]. The length of the
canS.1 was 363 miles, and its initial
cost $7,143,780.86. Its completion was
celebrated with unbounded joy which
found expression in extraordinary
civic and military ceremonies, and all
the festivities that a proud and happy
commonwealth could invent.

"On the morning of Oct. 26 [1825],
the first flotilla of boats, bound for
New York from Lake Erie, entered the
canal at Buffalo carrying the Governor
and Canal Commissioners [in the
packet, 'Seneca Chief']. Their de-
parture was the signal for the firing
of the first of a large number of can-
non stationed within hearing distance
of each other along the whole line of
the canal and the Hudson river and
at Sandy Hook,- by which the momen-
tous news of the opening of through
travel at Buffalo was announced at
the Hook in an hour and twenty min-
utes. One of the signal guns stationed
at Sprakers Basin was fired by the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

203

Revolutionary veteran Goshen Van
Alstine [living on Canajoharie creek
during the war]. The official voyagers
were everywhere greeted with enthus-
iastic demonstrations."

In New York harbor Clinton poured
water, carried from Lake Erie, into
the waters of the Atlantic commem-
orating thereby the joining of the two
bodies by way of the Erie canal, and
the great voyage was over. Sketches
of canal scenery were stamped upon
earthenware and various implements
in commemoration of the great
achievement. Albany was reached
Nov. 2, 1825, where a great celebration
took place. The gubernatorial party
arrived at New York, Nov. 4, where
was held a great public demonstration
in celebration of the event. The trip
from Buffalo to Albany had occupied
seven days.

"As at first constructed, the canal
passed through instead of over the
streams which it had to cross, espec-
ially in the Mohawk valley, their
waters being raised to its level as near
as possible by means of dams. This
gave a surplus of water in certain lo-
calities, and afforded some fine milling
privileges. One of this sort was fur-
nished below Canajoharie creek, where
John A. Ehle built a sawmill to avail
himself of it. To carry the water
through a stream of any size required,
upon both shores of the latter, guard
locks with gates, which could be closed
during freshets. Considerable diffi-
culty was frequently experienced at
such places by a long string of boats
accumulating on each side of the
stream where, at times, they were de-
layed for several days, during which
their crews came to be on familiar and
not always friendly terms. Such de-
lays were sometimes caused by a
freshet in the creek injuring the dam.
The passage of the- first boat across a
creek, on the subsidence of high water,
was a marked event, sometimes draw-
ing a large crowd of people together
to witness it. The first thing was to
get the boat within the guard lock
and close the gate behind it. Then
with a strong team, sometimes dou-
bled, the feat was undertaken [the

horses traveling over on a towing
bridge over the dam]. The greatest
difi^culty was experienced at Scho-
harie creek, that being so large; and
on the parting of a towline midway of
the stream, in several instances, boats
were borne by an aggravated current
over the dam and into the river, occa-
sionally with loss of life. In such cases
the boats had to go to Schenectady
before they could get back into the
canal. The passenger packet boats
had the precedence in passing locks,
and it was readily conceded at creek
crossings in freshet times." Such
crossings were located on the Ots-
quago at Fort Plain, on the Canajo-
harie at Canajoharie, on Flat creek at
Sprakers, and on Yatesville creek at
Yatesville (now Randall).

At the outset the canal was the
fashionable avenue of western travel,
as well as a highway of commerce.
The packets were elegantly furnished,
set excellent tables and far outstripped
the freight boats in speed, by their
comparative lightness and their three-
horse teams. The canal accordingly
furnished the natural route of Lafay-
ette in his grand tour of this part of
the country in 1825. At the crossing
at Schoharie creek, Lafayette's packet
was delayed and it was there boarded
by Thomas Sammons who was engaged
in boating on the Erie canal. When
Marquis de Lafayettte was on a mili-
tary errand at Johnstown, during the
Revolution, he was there entertained
by Jacob Sammons, a brother of
Thomas, who had leased Johnson Hall
from the Committee of Sequestration.
Here Thomas Sammons had repeatedly
met the French nobleman. In his
cabin the Marquis greeted Sammons
most cordially, asking after his
Johnstown host (who had died since
that time). The eminent Frenchman
held the boat until his interview was
ended, when Sammons and his son
(who told this anecdote) stepped
ashore both proud and happy over
their courteous reception. Lafayette's
packet was decorated with streamers
and evergreens, even the harness of
the horses bristling with flags. At all
stops, locks and crossings, he was

204

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

greeted by cheering crowds and we
may well assume that such were pres-
ent at the locks and creek crossings of
western Montgomery county afore-
mentioned.

The canal early became taxed be-
yond its capacity, and its enlargement
became a necessity. By legislative act
of May, 1835, the canal commissioners
were authorized to inake its enlarge-
ment and to construct double locks as
fast as they deemed advisable. Under
this act the enlargement was begun
and carried on, with more or less ac-
tivity, for a quarter of a century be-
fore it was completed throughout. In
this reconstruction the canal was car-
ried over the cross streams by aque-
ducts. It was reduced in length to 350
miles, and increased in breadth to 70
feet at the surface and 52% feet at the
bottom, while the depth of water was
increased from four feet to seven feet.
The cost of this enlargement was over
$30,000,000. In 1896 and 1897, under
an appropriation of $9,000,000, further
enlargement was made. The water
depth was increased (at least in part)
to nine feet, and locks accommodating
two boats were installed. From being
the main central New York artery of
freight traffic, commerce on the canal
has dwindled to a small figure.
Where formerly the docks of the canal
towns were scenes of bustling activity
they are now deserted. Such a state
of affairs is due to the inability of the
canal boats of 250 tons to suc-
cessfully compete with the constantlj'^
increasing carrying capacity of the
railroads. The railroads soon put the
canal packets out of business but there
are yet those who remember well this
convenient, picturesque and pleasant
(if somewhat slow) method of travel
prior to the middle of the nineteenth
century. Attention is called to Loss-
ing's mention, in a later chapter of his
trip by packet boat on the canal from
Fort Plain to Fultonville in 1848. The
Erie canal, particularly in its earlier
years, was a favorite route of travel
by emigrants going to the west.

Down to 1866, the construction, en-
largement and improvement of the
Erie and Champlain canals (the latter

requiring but a small part of the whole
amount) had cost no less than $46,-
018.234; the repairs and maintenance
had cost $12,900,333, making a total
expense of $58,918,567. On the other
hand, the receipts for tolls on the Erie
and Champlain canals had then
amounted to $81,057,168, leaving a bal-
ance in favor of these canals of $22,-
138,601. The cost of other canals
reduced the direct profit on the canal
system of the state to a trifle, although
the indirect profits have been enor-
mous.

Future readers will ask, "What was
the motive power and manner of boat-
ing on the old Erie canal?" The boats
were at first drawn by one horse or
mule. As they increased in size two
or three horses or mules were used on
one boat. The canal craft also went
in pairs, threes and fours, sometimes
two being lashed together and one or
two others being in tow. These tows
frequently had four horse or mule
teams. Occasionally three or four
boats went through towed by a tug.
Steam canal boats have also been
common. These generally formed the
second boat of a pair, lashed bow and
stern, and towed one or two others.
Lake boats, which could journey from
lake ports west of Buffalo through to
New York, were seen in considerable
numbers at time^. Their use made
the expense of breaking bulk at Buf-
falo unnecessary. All these double
boats had to be unlashed before enter-
ing the locks, prior to the lock en-
largement of the canal improvement
of 1898. From Albany down these
craft made the trip to New York in
great tows or lashed flotillas, towed
by one or two tugs.

Accidents of various sorts on the
Erie have been common — leaks and
banks giving way forming the princi-
pal source of trouble. Horses or mules
frequently feli into the water, but were
generally rescued. The canal banks
were of riprap on the tow path side,
except in towns where they were of
stone. Here was generally located an
incline up which horses were taken
who had tumbled into the canal.
Drownings were frequent about the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

205

locks. One of the most remarkable ac-
cidents on the canal occurred at Fort
Plain in 1896, when an omnibus filled
with passengers went through the
River street bridge into the canal. All
the people were rescued with great
difficulty and the state was compelled
to pay damages to a considerable
amount. An iron lift bridge suceeded
this weak structure, there being two
located within the limits of Fort Plain.

Canal grocery stores were a feature
of the Erie in its prime, these being
located near the locks. The Erie
waterway has always provided occu-
pation for a considerable number of
people, along its route, they being em-
ployed as lock and bridge tenders, bank
watches, state (repair) scow hands,
etc.

In western Montgomery county locks
on the Erie canal- are located at Min-
denville, St. Johnsville, Fort Plain and
Sprakers. At Mindenville also is lo-
cated a feeder from the Mohawk river.
On the northern limits of Fort Plain is
what is generally called "the wide
waters," a basin about a fifth of a mile
long and over 100 feet wide. Bridges
over the Erie canal average about one
per mile.

One of the features of Erie canal
transportation, since the latter part of
the nineteenth century, has been the
transit, during the summer months, of
pleasure boats running from the Hud-
son river and southern and eastern
points to the Thousand Islands and
the Great Lakes. This has been a
particularly large item of traffic since
the introduction of the gasoline motor
boat. The craft vary from a row-boat
size to large yachts which test the ca-
pacity of the locks. The trip through
the Erie canal and the Mohawk valley
has been a pleasing feature of summer
outings to thousands of Americans
from the country over.

The Erie canal, after a life of al-
most a century since its first boat ran
from Rome to Utica, is soon to give
way to the vastly more efficient Barge
canal. What disposition will be made
of its bed by the state of New York is
not known. At this time it is inter-
esting to recall the picture of the for-

mer activity along its course, its pic-
turesque packets and the bustle and
life that it brought to the canal towns
to which it gave birth. Those who love
the scenery along the -valley will soon
miss from the view the twin courses of
the Mohawk and the Erie canal wind-
ing their glittering way through the
landscape.

The State Engineer's department
has furnished the following regarding
the Erie canal: The boats used on
the Erie canal between 1817 and 1830
measured 61x7x3% feet and had a ca-
pacity of 30 tons. Between 1830 and
1850 boats of 75x12x3% feet were
used. These had a capacity of 75
tons. From 1850 to 1862 the boats
were 90x15x3% feet in size and had a
capacity of 100 tons. After 1862 the
boats were increased to 98xl7%x6
feet with a capacity of 240 tons. This
is the boat still in use (1913). Until the
Barge canal is completed boats of
greater size cannot be used.

The records of tonnage are not
available prior to 1837. In that year
the Erie canal carried 667,151 tons. In
1850 the tonnage was 1,635,089. In
1875 it was 2,787,226. Although the
tonnage records do not go back of 1837
the records of tolls collected are avail-
able since 1820. In 1825 the amount
collected on the Erie canal was $492,-
664.23. In 1850 they were $2,933,125.93.
In 1875 they were $1,428,078.25. Tolls
were abolished on the canals in 1882.
For several years prior to that date
tolls had been decreased, although the
amount of freight carried had increas-
ed or remained about the same. The
year 1880 was the season of greatest
tonnage on the Erie canal, 4,608,651
tons having been carried. In 1910 the
tonnage was 2,023,185.

The arbitrary selection of certain
years does not give a very good idea
of the growth of canal traffic. The
records are contained in a convenient
form for reference in a history of the
canals which was published by the
state a few years ago. It is entitled
"History of the Canal System of the
State of New York, together with
Brief Histories of the Canals of the

206

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

United States and Canada." At pages
1062 and 1064 of the second volume of
this work appears the tables from
which the above is quoted. The reader
is referred to this work for a fuller
account of the state's waterways.

In the foregoing paragraphs the
tonnage of different years on the Erie
is given among them that of 1910. The
following gives the tonnage of the
principal canals of the world for the
year 1910, with the exception that the
figures for the Kaiser Wilhelm canal
are those for 1909: Sault Ste. Marie
(between Lakes Superior and Huron),
36, .395,687; Suez, Mediterranean and
Red Seas, 23,054,901; Kaiser Wilhelm
(Baltic and North Seas, Germany), 6,-
267,805; Manchester (England), 5,-
000,000; Erie, 2,023,185. The import-
ance of our American inland water-
ways is easily seen by reference to the
figures for the Sault Ste. Marie and
the fact that its tonnage is fifty per
cent greater than that great waterway
of all the nations — the Suez canal. The
Sault Ste. Marie is one of the links in
the great chain of waterways of which
the Barge canal will form a part.

Following are the principal canals
of New York, in the order of their
completion together with statistics
pertaining to each. Attention is called
to their general low cost of construc-
tion:

Champlain (Whitehall, N. Y., to
Watervliet, N. Y.), built 1822; length
81 miles; locks, 32; depth, 6 feet; cost,
$4,044,000. This was the second im-
portant canal completed in' the United
States.

Erie (Albany, N. Y., to Buffalo, N.
Y.), built 1825; length, 387 miles; locks,
72; depth, 7 feet; cost, $52,540,800. The
Erie is and has always been the most
important canal of its type (aside
from ship canals) in the world.

Oswego (Oswego, N. Y., to Syracuse,
N. Y.), built 1828; length, 38 miles;
locks, 18; depth, 7 feet; cost $5,239,-
526.

Cayuga and Seneca (Montezuma, N.
Y., to Cayuga and Seneca lakes, N. Y.),
built, 1839; length 25 miles; locks, 11;
depth, 7 feet; cost, $2,232,632.

Black River (Rome, N. Y., to Lyons

Falls, N. Y. Formerly boats went from
the latter point to Carthage, N. Y., on
the Black River), built, 1849; length,
35 miles; locks, 109; depth, 4 feet; cost,
$3,581,954.

These waterways have played a
great part in the development of the
country. Those of New York state
were all part of one scheme of water
transit and many of them are utilized
in the Barge canal system. In this
way they are and have been important
to the dwellers in the Mohawk valley
through which the Erie and the Barge
canal flow. The future of transporta-
tion lies largely in utilizing water-
ways and the lines of the old canals
hence deserve the attention of the
reader.

Following are statistics relative to
some of the other important canals of
North America, outside New York
state. The general subject of water
traffic is worthy of consideration as
some of these old and abandoned
canals may, in the future, form part of
a North American great inland system
of waterways, including those of New
York state and the Mohawk valley.

Lehigh (Coalport, Pa., to Easton,
Pa.), built, 1821; length, 108 miles;
first large American canal to be com-
pleted. Schuylkill (Mill Creek, Pa., to
Philadelphia, Pa.), built, 1826; length,
108 miles. Welland (present ship
canal from Lake Erie to Lake On-
tario), first completed in 1833, since
enlarged and further enlargement con-
templated; length, 27 miles; locks, 26;
depth, 14 feet; cost, $27,264,802. Miami
and Erie (Cincinnati, O., to Toledo,
O.), built, 1835; length, 274 miles.
Ohio (Cleveland, O., to Portsmouth,
O.), built, 1835; length, 317 miles.
Pennsylvania (Columbia, Northum-
berland, Wilkesbarre, Huntingdon,
Pa.), built, 1839; length, 193 miles.
Illinois and Michigan (Chicago, III., to
LaSalle, 111.), built, 1848; length, 102
miles. Chesapeake and Ohio (Cum-
berland, Md., to Washington, D. C),
built, 1850; length, 184 miles. Illinois
and Mississippi (around rapids at
Rock River, 111., connecting with Mis-
sissippi), built, 1895; length, 75 miles.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

207

Celebrations of the opening of the
Erie canal were not alone confined to
the villages along its banks but were
held in many enterprising communi-
ties all over the state. The New York
authorities ordered all the artillery of
the state to be out on Oct. 26, and Are
a salute and where villages had mili-
tary organizations there was gener-
ally some celebration or parade.

At Cooperstown a splendid celebra-
tion took place with Col. G. S. Crafts
as marshal. Major Benjamin's corps
of artillery fired a salute from the
summit of Mount Vision. A feu-de-
joie by Capt. Comstock's company of
light infantry followed the salute,
which was succeeded by proceedings
in the Episcopal church where an ad-
dress was delivered by Samuel Stark-
weather, Esq. A public dinner was
served at Major Griffith's hotel, where
patriotic toasts washed the dinner
down.

At Fort Plain (then a village of not
more than 200, including Sand Hill)
the event of the opening of the Erie
canal was fittingly observed. Says
Simms:

"The substantial citizens of the
neighborhood assembled on the day
[Oct. 26, 1825] of general festivities on
the canal and celebrated the marked
event. A long procession headed by
Dr. G. S. Spalding as marshal and led
with martial music marched from the
public house of mine host, Joseph
Wagner, to Sand Hill where, near the
church a six pound cannon heralded
the event of the day [Clinton's enter-
ing the canal at Buffalo] in thunder
tones abroad. The patriotic crowd is
said to have proceeded to the hill and
back two and two, and it is probably
well that some of them did so. A report
of this celebration, published in the
Johnstown 'Republican' soon after,
says: 'An address with an appropri-
ate prayer was pronounced in Wash-
ington Hall [which was in an upper
room of the Warner store] to a crowd-
ed audience, by Rev. John Wack, who
did much honor to his head and heart.
After the address the company par-
took of a collation prepared by Mr.

Joseph Wagner. Dr. Joshua Webster
acted as president and Robert Hall,
Esq., as vice-president. The festivity
of the day terminated with a ball in
the evening.'

"The sumptuous dinner at this first
Wagner House (said Simeon Tingue,
then its hotel clerk) was spread the
entire length of the ball-room. This
house stood on the north side of the
guard lock, and is now owned by An-
drew Dunn. After discussing the
merits of a good dinner numerous
toasts were washed down by good
liquor, which as was soon apparent
was freely used by all present. Re-
membered among those at the table
were several [by the name of] Fox,
Gros, Wagner, Hackney, Marvin, Fer-
guson, Adams, Cole, Belding, Mabee,
Diefendorf, Crouse, Lipe, Dygert, Ehle,
Nellis, Abeel, Seeber, Verplanck, Wash-
burn, Moyer, Casler, Clum, Failing,
Roof, Firman, Langdon, Warner, Cun-
ning and others. A more jovial or
free-from-care set of men were never
assembled in Minden. Here is a glance
at the toasts. First came thirteen
regular toasts and the eleventh was
as follows: "Constitution of the
United States — 'And the rain descend-
ed and the floods came and the winds
blew and beat upon the house, and it
fell not for it was founded upon a
rock.' " Nine cheers. The twelfth was
"Education" and drew out six cheers,
while the thirteenth upon the "Canals
of New York" was followed by twelve
cheers. Of the nineteen good volun-
teer toasts recorded, I think every
mover but one has gone to his rest —
the exception is Hon. Peter J. Wag-
ner, now (1882) past 87; and here is
his sentiment: "Liberty of the Press
— The armed neutrality of a powerful
Republic. Here no Harrington is de-
nounced as a bloodstained ruffian — no
Galileo doomed to languish and pine
within the cells of an accursed Inqui-
sition." Mr. Wagner had more to do
with preparing the toasts than any
other man. As the guests grew hilar-
ious, W. P. M. Cole, a witty Yankee
teacher, jumped upon the table, which
was a temporary one resting upon
sawhorses. Many dishes were yet

208

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

upon the table when down it went and
all on it upon the floor. And, after
the guests left the hall, lucky was it
if they all got home before dark.

"It was expected that the boat
[Seneca Chief, bearing Gov. Clinton
and suite to tidewater] would arrive
on the evening of Mondaj', October 31
[1S25], possibly heralded by stages,
anticipating which event a large con- ■
course of people gathered from a dis-
tance of several miles around. Prep-
arations had- been made to proclaim
the event by erecting two long poles
on Prospect Hill, each with half a
barrel of pitch on top with cords 'to
hoist lighted shavings to ignite them.
A cannon was also placed between
them. To herald the event James A.
Lee, a constable, was sent on horse-
back to Countryman's lock, some miles
above; and, to spread the tidings, two
young men — Rugene Webster and Sol-
omon Norton — were delegated to
Abeel's tavern half a mile west, to
'telegraph' with a musket from that
point. Headquarters were at the new
store of Warner, then directly above
the guard lock, the windows of which
were illuminated. It was eleven o'clock
at night when the mounted express
reached Abeel's, where was also a jolly
crowd. Norton fired the overloaded
musket and experienced its fearful re-
bound, to be followed by the thunder
of the 32 pound signal gun.

"In a very few minutes the beacons
were on fire and war's mouthpiece on
the hill heralded the approach of the
Seneca Chief. Gov. Clinton — with a
waiter by his side holding a lamp — as
the boat, towed by three horses, ran in
by the store, came on deck. Limping
a little, rubbing his eyes and looking
up at the light, seeming in the clouds,
he exclaimed in admiration of the
view, "My God! what is that?" His
wonder was how the light could be
burning so far heavenward. The truth
was the night was dark and foggy,
obscuring the bold bluff on which the
light was burning more than a hun-
dred feet above his boat — a scene cal-
culated to astonish any beholder not
knowing the circumstances. But the
visit must be brief, and every eye of

the hundreds present (whether Clin-
tonians or not) desired to see the pro-
jector of 'Clinton's Ditch,' and some-
body must say something. John Tay-
lor, an Irish schoolmaster — sometimes
witty and always garrulous — stepped
upon the bow of the boat and said (not
knowing what else to say) "Gov. Clin-
ton, this is my^ friend, John Warner's
store." Poor Taylor, in attempting to
regain the shore, fell into the canal
but * * * he was rescued without
injury. Later in life it was his fate
to be drowned in the canal. Law-
rence Gros, who was just then com-
mencing trade as a partner of War-
ner in his new store, and Dr. Web-
ster were possibly the only ones pres-
ent who could claim a personal ac-
quaintance with the Governor; and so
desirous was Col. Crouse, and perhaps
others, for an introduction to his Ex-
cellency, that they stepped on board
and, entering the cabin, rode down to
the lock one-quarter of a mile below.
It is presumed that the Governor dis-
covered that some of his guests had,
in waiting, kept their spirits up in a
manner often resorted to at that per-
iod. Martial music attended the boat
down CO the lock and, as the Fort
Plain guests stepped on shore, the
band struck up 'Yankee Doodle,' when
Gov. Clinton, from the deck, swung
the crowd an adieu with his hat, en-
tered the cabin with Canal Commis-
sioner Bouck and others, and the Sen-
eca Chief moved forward."

DeWitt Clinton, the "father" of the
Erie canal and the virtual builder of
"Clinton's Ditch," was born in Deer
"Park, Orange county, March 2, 1769.
He was a son of Gen. James Clinton,
of the Sullivan and Clinton expedi-
tion to the Indian country in 1779, and
who made Canajoharie his rendezvous
in the Mohawk valley prior to his
overland trip to join Sullivan. Gov.
George Clinton (who was at least
twice at Fort Plain) was his uncle.
His mother's name was Mary DeWitt
of the New York Dutch farhily of that
name. He graduated at Columbia col-
lege in New York city in 1786, studied
law and in 1790 became private secre-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

209

tary to his uncle, Gov. Clinton. He
was "a man of ardent temperament,
dignified manners, inclined to reserve
and of noble personal appearance."
He was elected as a Republican or
Anti-Federalist to the New York as-
sembly in 1797 and to the State Sen-
ate in 1798, and soon became his
party's most influential leader in New
York. In 1801 he was elected to the
United States Senate. In 1803 he was
appointed by the Governor and coun-
cil, Maj'or of New York, which office
he held, by successive reappointments,
until 1814. He served as Lieutenant-
Governor from 1811-1813 and in 1810
was chairman of the canal board. In
1812 he was nominated for President
of the United States by the party op-
posed to President Madison's war pol-
icy, receiving 89 electoral votes (in-
cluding those of New York), but was
not elected. In 1815 he framed and
presented to the state legislature a
memorial advocating the construction
of the Erie canal (which was ordered
in 1817). He was elected governor of
New York almost unanimously in 1817
and in 1820 re-elected (over Daniel
D. Tompkins), during his terms being
president of the board of canal com-
missioners. He declined a renomina-
tion in 1822 and in 1824 was removed
as a canal commissioner. In the fall
of 1824 he was again elected governor
by a large majority, making the trium-
phal tour of the Erie canal in celebra-
tion of its opening, October, 1825. He
was re-elected in 1826 and died in Al-
bany before completing his term, Feb.
11, 1828, aged 58 years.

CHAPTER XI.

1831-1836— First Valley Railroads —
The Mohawk and Hudson (1831),
Utica and Schenectady (1836), New
York Central (1853), New York Cen-
tral and Hudson River Railroad
(1869), Fonda, Johnstown and Glov-
ersville (1870), West Shore Railroad
(1883) — First Freight Business —
Trolley Lines.

This description of railroad building
in this locality is the fifth chapter on
transportation in the Mohawk valley.

Prior ones have covered the subjects
of Mohawk river traffic, turnpike con-
struction and travel, river and other
bridges and Erie canal. Others to fol-
low, handling the same subject, con-
cern the Barge canal and Atwood's St.
Louis to New York flight — seven chap-
ters in all. Turnpike construction
marked the flrst years of the nineteenth
century, canal construction was a fea-
ture of the opening years of that cen-
tury's third decade and railroad build-
ing marked the early years of the
fourth decade — all of these improve-
ments in national transportation and
traffic being rendered necessary by the
opening up of new country, the in-
crease in population,) trade, manufac-
tures and agriculture.

A steam railway engine was patented
by Richard Trevithick in 1802 and
1804 in England. This was tried out
flrst on the highways but later used
on colliery railways with a speed no
greater than that of horse hauling. In
1814 Stephenson produced an engine
with a speed of six miles an hour.
Railroad rails came into use on col-
liery horse railways in 1790. The flrst
steam colliery railroad of any length
(37 miles) was the Stockton and Dar-
lington railway opened in England in
1825. The first American railway was
that from the granite quarries of
Quincy, Mass., to tidewater (5 miles),
built to supply the granite for Bunker
Hill monument. This was completed
in 1827. The Delaware and Hudson
built 16 miles of coal mine railway, to
the head of its canal of that name, in
1828. By 1830, the Baltimore and Ohio
had 60 miles of a 250 -mile railroad
completed and the Mohawk and Hud-
son had laid 12 miles of its 16-mile
line from Albany to Schenectady. The
South Carolina R. R., Camden and Am-
boy, Ithaca and Owego and the Lex-
ington and Ohio were all under con-
struction in 1830. The Mohawk and
Hudson was the first and the Utica and
Schenectady the second link in the
great railroad system operated at
present (1913) by the New York Cen-
tral railroad. Most of these early rail-
roads used horse power at flrst.

Within a decade or two after the

210

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Erie canal was completed, and equip-
ped with boats for passenger and
freight traffic* it was threatened with
eclipse by the building of railroads.
The first of these in New York state,
to be chartered by the legislature, was
the Mohawk and Hudson River -Rail-
road company, for a railroad to run
from Albany to Schenectady. This was
the pioneer railroad in the state and
is said to have been the second of any
importance in the country. It was fin-
ished in 1831 and was rudely built and
equipped. The rails were similar to
those later used for horsecars, and at
first horses furnished the only motive
power, except that, at the summits of
the higher hills, stationary engines
were located to draw up and let down
the cars by ropes. The passenger cars
were modeled after the stage coach of
the day, being hung on leather thor-
ough-braces and having seats both in-
side and out. A lever attached to the
truck was operated by downward
pressure as a brake. The first loco-
motive (used in the first year of travel)
was made at West Point, N. Y., and
was named "Dewitt Clinton." This
first engine used wood for fuel and,
on its earlier trips, liberally besprinkled
the outside passengers with live cin-
ders, and thq^ were often busy beating
out the incipient fires thus started on
their clothing.

The advantages of steam railroads
being here practically seen, other
lines were immediately projected and
applications for charters made.
Among them was the Utica and Sche-
nectady, connecting those cities and
covering a distance of about 80 miles.
With its parent road, the Mohawk and
Hudson, it made a line almost 100 miles
long and so traversed the greater part
of the Mohawk valley.

In 1836 the Mohawk and Hudson
railroad, from Albany to Schenectady,
covered 15 of the 100 miles of railroad
then in operation in this state. A
contemporary writes, in 1836, of it and
its extension (the Utica and Schenec-
tady road then nearly completed), as
follows: "This road, the importance
of which entitles it to a conspicuous
station among the many improvements

of the age, is designed to form no in-
considerable link in the extensive
chain of communication between the
western world and the tide waters of
the Hudson. Passing through a coun-
try famed for its fertility of soil and
its exuberance of agricultural produc-
tions, the route can scarcely fail of
presenting some features to the con-
templation of the most fastidious trav-
eler. With the Mohawk river almost
constantly in view, as it majestically
sweeps onward in its course, confined
on either side by a succession of lofty
and precipitous hills, the eye of the
amateur may frequently discern land-
scapes comprising almost every var-
iety of picturesque and scenic beauty."
Says Beers's History of 1878: "It
was not to be supposed that Schenec-
tady would long remain the terminus
of a road pointing up the Mohawk
valley toward the growing west. En-
terprising men soon resolved on its
extension among the thriving villages
created by the tide of westward emi-
gration, and in 1833, a charter was
granted for the construction of the
Utica and Schenectady Railroad. The
original capital of the company, .$2,-
000,000, more than sufficed for the
building and equipment of the road,
and the enterprise proved conspicuously
successful. [It usurped the north
shore Mohawk turnpike in places,
which, in those sections, had to be re-
constructed further away from the
river.] The first board of directors
consisted of Erastus Corning, John
Townsend, Lewis Benedict, James
Porter, Alonzo C. Page, Tobias A.
Stoutenburgh, Nathaniel S. Benton,
Nicholas Deveraux, Henry Seymour,
Alfred Munson, James Hooker, John
Mason and Churchill C. Cambreling.
Erastus Corning was first president;
James Porter, secretary; William C.
Young, chief engineer, and on the
completion of the road superintendent;
Gideon Davidson, commissioner. One
of the provisions of the charter was
that each county through which the
road passed must be represented 'by
one or more of its citizens on the
board of directors. Under this regu-
lation, Tobias A. Stoutenburgh was

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

211

chosen from Montgomery county. The
original charter also fixed the maxi-
mum fare at four cents a mile, and re-
quired the company to sell out to the
state after ten and within fifteen years
if the state desired to purchase.

"The work of construction went on
with rapidity,! and, on the 1st of Au-
gust, 1836, the road was opened for the
conveyance of passengers. That Au-
gust day was an event in the valley,
both in itself and in its foreshadow-
ings. The long excursion train was
packed with delighted passengers, and
each station furnished yet other
crowds seeking places in the overflow-
ing cars. The train made slow pro-
gress, but eager and curious eyes
watched the iron monster that puffed
its murky breath and hissed through
its brazen throat.

"At this time the idea of carrying
freight was not entertained. The
charter forbade it, consequently no
preparations for the transmission of
merchandise had been made by the
company. The desire of the superin-
tendent seemed to be to confine the
business of the road to the carrying
of passengers. The occasion for
handling freight, however, of course,
arose on the closing of the canal in
1836. On the very day that frost
stopped navigation in that year, a
German family, wishing to convey
their effects from Palatine Bridge to
Schenectady, were permitted to ship
them on a car, and this, it may be said,
was the beginning of the way freight
business of the Central railroad. The
conductor in this case, having no tar-
iff of rates to guide him, made the
rather exorbitant charge of $14. The
legislature, in 1837^ authorized the
company to carry freight and subse-
quently made the regulation, allowing
passengers to have a specified amount
of baggage carried free of charge. The
first freight cars were called 'stage
wagons.' " [The modern T rail was
invented by Col. Robert Stevens of
New Jersey, in 1830. Steel rails were
first used in 1857 in England. The first
iron rails were but three feet long.]

"Improvements were made in track
and rolling stock at an early day in

the history of the Utica and Schenec-
tady road. We have said that the rails
were originally like those of later
street railroads — namely sficks of
timber, with bands of iron, spiked
upon them, called 'strap rails.' The
irons had a tendency to work loose at
the ends and turn up, forming .what
were called 'snake heads,' which were
ready, on catching the bottom of a car,
to spear the passengers or throw the
train from the track. [Solid iron rails
accordingly superseded them.] The
first improvement in passenger cars
consisted in building frame bodies,
somewhat ornamented, and placing
them on four-wheeled trucks. Each
car was divided by partitions into
three compartments, seating eight per-
sons apiece and entered by a door on
either side. The conductor traversed
a plank running along the side of the
car, and, holding on to an iron over
the door of each section, reached in
for the fare. [This arrangement was
somewhat on the style of passenger
coaches on English roads. In 1831 the
first American style passenger coach
(with doors at each end) was used and
this style soon supplanted the En-
glish type in North America.]

"At first no time tables governed the
running of the trains. One would
leave Utica at a specified hour, each
week-day morning, and get to Sche-
nectady when it could, returning on
the same plan. For a long time, after
the completion of the road, there were
few station agents, and freight con-
ductors had to hunt up patrons at
each stopping place, where merchan-
dise was to be left, and collect the
charges. Freight trains ran about
eight miles an hour, passenger trains
about 20 or less. Time and experience
gradually brought order and exactness
into every department of the business
on this line and it enjoyed unexampled
prosperity.

"In the spring of 1853, the legisla-
ture passed an act for the consolida-
tion of roads,! then in operation (and
some only projected) between Albany
and Buffalo, to form the New York
Central. This was effected a few
weeks later. The new company had a

212

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

capital of $23,085,600. The Utica and
Schenectady was, of course, one of
the roads absorbed by it. One of the
original directors, who remained as
such up to the time of the consolida-
tion, states that, at that time, 'the
stock capital of the company was
$4,500,000, on which the shareholders
received 50 per cent premium in six
per cent bonds of the consolidated
company, equal at par to $2,475,000;
and how much of the two-and-a-half
millions increase was made up by
extra dividends in the old company,
and how much of the surplus has been
and will be paid by the trustees to the
shareholders of the company, I need
not name to make good the assertion
that the Utica and Schenectady Com-
pany has turned out the most success-
ful of modern railway enterprises.'
The growth of business on this road is
evidenced by the fact that its second
track was laid before it became part
of the New York Central.

"The ambition of each railway mag-
nate, as the actual and prospective
greatness of the West became appar-
ent, was the control of a through line
from the seaboard which could make
sure of its share of the transportation
for the great grain regions and popu-
lous cities so rapidly developing. Cor-
nelius Vanderbilt's first step in this
direction was the consolidation for 500
years of the Hudson River Railroad
with the New York Central, which
took place under an act passed by the
legislature in May, 1869, the line tak-
ing the name of the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad. The im-
mense business of the transportation
of freight commanded by this road re-
quired that its freight trains should
have tracks to themselves, and made it
at once necessary and profitable to
double the already large capacity of
the line from Buffalo to Albany, where
much of its traffic was diverted to-
ward New England. This was accom-
plished by the construction of third
and fourth tracks between those cities,
which were completed in the autumn
of 1874.

"The almost incalculable advantages
to be derived from railroad facilities

are offered at their best to the inhab-
itants of the Mohawk valley. The
creation of points of sale knd ship-
ment for agricultural products in-
creases the value of farm property, and
Montgomery county everywhere shows
in its i-ich, well-cultivated farms and
fine buildings, the benefits of home
markets and the highest facilities for
ti-ansportation. The villages, which
by the Central Railroad are placed
within an hour and a half of Albany
and six or seven of New York, are far
more nearly equal to those cities in
their advantages as homes than they
could be without it,- while possessing
their own class of attractions and thus
are assured of a solid growth and de-
velopment. To arrest or seriously de-
lay the conveyance of what now
comes and goes so promptly by mail
and express would be to take away
much of what constitutes civilization,
and remand the community thus af-
fiicted to comparative barbarism."

The first stations on the Mohawk
and Schenectady Railroad, in the five
western towns of Montgomery county,
were located at Sprakers, Palatine
Bridge -Canajoharie, Fort Plain, Pala-
tine Church and St. Johnsville. That
at Palatine Church was subsequently
dropped. St. Johnsville was long an
important station of the Central road,
having a railroad restaurant and coal
pockets. Little Falls was an import-
ant point and Fonda also, as here con-
nections were made north after 1870.

The stations on the West Shore road
in Montgomery county are in the east-
ern part, Amsterdam, Fort Hunter,
Fultonville, and in the five western
towns are Randall, Sprakers, Canajo-
harie, Fort Plain. St. Johnsville and
Mindenville (flag station). The full
list of stations on the Central in Mont-
gomery county, from east to west, are
Amsterdam, Fort Johnson, Tribes Hill,
Fonda, Yosts, Sprakers, Palatine
Bridge-Canajoharie, Fort Plain-Nel-
liston, St. Johnsville. Some of the
fastest trains in the world run over
the Central. The passenger and freight
service is enormous and a train is al-
most always in sight from Prospect

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

213

Hill, Fort Plain. The Central is one of
the few four-track roads in the world.

The building of the West Shore rail-
road cut through and seriously in-
jured the business section of Canajo-
harie. Fort Plain was at first simi-
larly threatened, as the original plans
called for a railroad running along the
east side of Canal street throughout
the village. The most strenuous efforts
of leading and influential Fort Plain
citizens were required to bring about
a change of plans in the early 80s, and
the present course of the railroad, on
the flats through the village limits a
distance of a mile and a half, was
adopted. The opening of the West
Shore in 1883 was marked by a terri-
ble collision of trains, with loss of life,
at Diefendorf Hill, just west of Fort
Plain. A local train, running west from
Canajoharie to Syracuse in the morn-
ing and returning in the evening, has
been known as the Canajoharie local,
almost since the inauguration of ser-
vice over the road.

The West Shore road and the Cen-
tral entered into a fierce rate competi-
tion, shortly before the West Shore's
absorption by the Central, which
brought the passenger rate down to a
cent a mile for a short period. The
passenger fare is now (1913) two cents
per mile on both roads as it is gener-
ally on most New York state railroads.
Freight rates have shown a decline
since the inauguration of freight ser-
vice in the valley in 1836, as previously
referred to. The average rate per ton
per mile was 0.74 cents in 1891. The
West Shore was bought by the Central
about 1895 and is today (1913) used
almost exclusively as a freight branch
of the N. Y. C. & H. R. R.R. system.
The passenger train service has been
cut down to a few local and through
trains daily, the north shore railroad,
the Central, handling most of the
passenger traffic. The West Shore
takes its name from its occupancy of
the west shore of the Hudson, the Cen-
tral occupying the east shore. Through
the Mohawk valley the West Shore
R.R. follows the south shore of the
Mohawk river and the Central the
north bank. In the six miles from

Canajoharie to Palatine Church the
West Shore is truly on the west shore
of the Mohawk, as the course of the
river in that distance is generally
northwest and southeast. The West
Shore was built by Italian labor. As the
Erie canal was largely dug by Irish-
men, so it is probable that the Utica
and Schenectady was constructed by
that race as its construction followed
the canal within fifteen years.

The carrying capacity of both pas-
senger coaches and freight cars has
constantlj' increased together with the
drawing power of the locomotives,
since the first days of railroading.
This was the cause of the gradual de-
cline of canal business — the limited
possibilities of transportation on this
waterway finally being unable to meet
railroad competition except on certain
classes of freight.

In the United States (1913) freight
cars are 30 to 36 feet long, with two
four-wheeled trucks, and weigh from
20,000 lbs. to 30,000 lbs. and carry 40,-
000 to 60 000 lbs., the combined weight
of the larger cars and burden being
45 tons. European freight cars are
only 12 to 18 feet long, with four
wheels, weigh 11,000 to 18,000 lbs., and
carry 18,000 to 23,000 lbs. Steel is now
(1913) supplanting wood in the con-
struction of both passenger and freight
cars in the United States. This has
been true of trolley car construction
for a number of years past. An in-
teresting comparison is afforded by
the fact that one 1,500 ton Barge canal
barge will carry a load as large as 50
l>iggest freight cars can haul. Tan-
dem barges, or one 3,000 ton barge,
will equal a 100-car train in carrying
capacity.

American locomotives and passen-
ger cars are heavier and more power-
ful than European types. European
passenger cars are (1913) from 26 to
56 feet long, while the American ones
are 80 feet long, in the largest cars,
and are wider, higher and of generally
stronger and heavier construction.
Nine to twelve car American express
trains weigh from 350 to 500 tons,
while in Great Britain ten to fifteen
car express trains weigh 270 tons at

214

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the most. The heaviest New York
Central locomotive (1913) weighs 135
tons, with a "tractive effort" of 31,000
pounds. The largest American loco-
motive yet produced weighs 308 tons
with a "tractive effort" of 111,000
pounds. Passenger train speed on the
Mohawk section of the Central has
been registered exceeding 68 miles per
hour.

The railroad mileage of the United
States was 2,816 in 1840, 30,600 in 1860
and 177,753 in 1893, when the world's
railroad mileage was 405,000. Half
the railway mileage of the world is in
North America, including the United
States, Canada and Mexico. The
United States's mileage was 240,000 in
1910, of which 25,000 miles was in-
cluded in the "Vanderbilt" or New
York Central group of roads, the third
largest system in the country.

The building of the Fonda, Johns-
town and Gloversville Railroad (1870)
with extension to Northville (1875)
and the construction of the West
Shore railroad (finished 1883) com-
pleted the construction of steam
railroads at present operating within
the limits of old (Fulton and) Mont-
gomery county. The future usefulness
of iron track railways, for local pas-
senger and freight service, seems to lie
in the electric trolley service and such
a road is already in use between Sche-
nectady, Amsterdam, Johnstown and
Gloversville and Fonda, in the east end
of the county, and one is projected,
from Little Falls, via St. Johnsville, to
Johnstown, with a spur connecting
with Nelliston, Fort Plain and Cana-
joharie, which will undoubtedly in
time be continued down the valley
making a connecting link in tKe elec-
tric trolley line from Buffalo to New
York city. Trolleys parallel the rail-
roads in the Mohawk valley from Rome
to Little Falls and from Fonda to Co-
hoes. At Schenectady there are trol-
ley connections with Albany and with
the upper Hudson valley.

A railroad through the Otsquago
valley connecting the Mohawk valley
at Fort Plain with the upper Susque-
hanna valley at Richfield Springs and
Cooperstown has long been projected.

A meeting to promote this enterprise
was held in Fort Plain as early as
1828. The Fort Plain and Richfield
Springs Railroad company was formed
about 1885. Later Boston capitalists
became interested, right of way was
secured, and a roadbed was construct-
ed over a large part of the line, begin-
ning at the base of Prospect Hill, Fort
Plain. The enterprise failed financially
about 1895. At one time the project
contemplated uniting the proposed
railroads with the "dead ends" of rail-
roads at Cooperstown, Cherry Valley
and Richfield Springs. Connection be-
tween the Mohawk and Susquehanna
valleys was made about 1905 by the
trolley line running from Herkimer
through Mohawk and Richfield Springs
to Oneonta with a branch to Coopers-
town.

One of the leading railroad men of
the mid-nineteenth century was Web-
ster Wagner of Palatine Bridge, whose
name is closely associated with the
early development of sleeping and
drawing room railroad coaches. He
was a member of the Palatine Wag-
ner family which located about 1720 in
Palatine township, on the farm now
(1913) owned by Charles D. Smith,
about two miles west of Fort Plain.
Webster Wagner was born in 1817 at
Palatine Bridge, where he became
ticket and freight agent on the Schen-
ectady and Utica railroad in 1843. He
later handled grain and farm produce
and while in this business, he con-
ceived the idea of building sleeping
cars. A company was formed and four
cars were built at a cost of $3,200 each.
Berths were provided for the sleep-
ers, each having a pair of cheap blank-
ets and a pillow. These cars began
running on the New York Central,
Sept. 1, 1858, during the presidency of
Erastus Corning. Trouble with the
ventilation of the cars hampered the
success of the project at first. The
ventilators, being opposite to the
sleepers, made it dangerous to leave
them open at night while, with them
closed the air was suffocating. To ob-
viate this trouble, in 1859, Mr. Wagner

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

215

invented the elevated car roof, plac-
ing ventilators in the elevation, which
proved successful and greatly improv-
ed the air in the coaches. This im-
provement was shortly after generally
adopted for all types of passenger rail-
road cars. During the Civil war these
sleeping coaches cost to produce from
$18,000 to $24,000 each. In 1S67, Wag-
ner invented and put in operation his
first drawing rooin or palace car, the
first ever seen in America, which at
once became so popular as to secure
him a fortune. Wagner palace and
sleeping cars came into general use.
Pullman introduced a similar type into
Europe, and about 1890, the Wagner
and Pullman companies were consoli-
dated under the name of the Pullman
company. In 1871, Webster Wagner
was elected to the assembly and to the
state senate in 1872, 1874, 1876, 1878.
He met a tragic death in a terrible
railroad accident on the Central road
at Spuyten Duyvil in 1882, when he
was burned to death in one of his own
drawing room cars. Mr. Wagner's
full name was John Webster Wagner,
he being named after his father's
physician, Dr. John Webster, accord-
ing to Mason's History.

The present chair, buffet, sleeping,
combination, dining, and observation
coaches of steel construction are all
later developments of the original
sleeping car first put in operation by
Webster Wagner on the New York
Central railroad in 1858. The first rude
sleeping coach was run on the Cum-
berland Valley Railroad (Pennsyl-
vania) in 1836.

CHAPTER XII.

1836, Fonda Made County Seat of
Montgomery County — New Court
House Built at Fonda — Dissatisfac-
tion in Northern Montgomery — 1838,
Fulton County Created From North-
ern Montgomery County.
It must be remembered that in all
the foregoing reference to Montgom-
ery county (up to 1838), it included
Fulton county as well. This was in-
deed a noble county and it is to be
regretted that it was thus cut in two.

This final division of Montgomery took
' place 222 years after LaCarnon, the
French Canadian priest, first entered
the Mohawk country, 149 years after
Hendrick Frey made the first recorded
white settlement in the county, and
127 years after the Palatines located
in Stone Arabia. The towns of the
present county, including the five
western ones of Minden, Canajoharie,
Root, Palatine and St. Johnsville as-
sumed their present territorial boun-
daries (except Canajoharie and Min-
den as later noted). A long period of
development (from the ending of the
Revolution) had been completed and
the present day era was ushered in.

Old Montgomery county (including
its northern region, present Fulton
county, and its southern section, pres-
ent Montgomery county) was a natural
division of territory. It largely em-
braced the Mohawk watershed from
East Creek to the Schenectady line,
with the exception that it did not in-
clude the Schoharie valley on the
south. Prior to 1817, when the present
towns of Danube and Manheim were
taken fro:n it and added to Herkimer
county, western Montgomery county
included the old Canajoharie country
and its succeeding districts of Palatine
and Canajoharie.

In 1836 when the county seat was
moved to Fonda from Johnstown the
latter place had been the Montgomery
capital for a period of 64 years, dating
from the establishment of Tryon
county in 1772. So long in fact had
these two artificial divisions, of what
is naturally one region, been associated
that we still speak of "Fulton and
Montgomery county" as though they
were yet one, and the two are often
linked together in the consideration of
history, politics, agriculture, industry
and other phases of human life and
society.

This division was due to the fact
that the county seat was removed to
Caughnawaga (Fonda) in 1836 and the
people of Fulton county, resenting this,
obtained the erection of the then
Montgomery county into two separate
divisions (Fulton and Montgomery)
by act of the legislature in 1838; and

216

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Johnstown again became a county
seat — that of the new county of Fulton.
This removal was the result of the
building of the Utica and Schenectady
railroad, which made the central town
of Fonda very accessible to the other
river towns of the county, while it left
Johnstown three miles away and with-
out railroad communication until the
completion of the Fonda, Johnstown
and Gloversville railroad in 1870.
Other causes conduced to this change,
in the governing town of the county,
which resulted in the unfortunate dis-
memberment of old Montgomery.
Fonda took its name from the Fonda
family, which largely owned the land
upon which it was built. It was not
then an incorporated village and did
not become one until 1851. Regarding
this subject, the Mohawk Valley Dem-
ocrat (Fonda) published in its issue
of August 15, 1912, the following from
the pen of Washington Frothingham of
the county seat:

"Fonda is the only village in the
Mohawk valley which originated in a
land speculation. In 183S, or a little
later, John B. Borst of Schoharie, vis-
ited this neighborhood and planned a
new place to supersede Caughnawaga
and to become the capital of Mont-
gomery county. What is now Fonda
consisted then of a tavern, a few
houses, a fulling mill and a small store.
The surrounding lands were owned by
the Fonda family, which obtained a
liberal price, [from Borst] The Cen-
tral railroad (then only the Utica and
Schenectady) was nearly finished and
Borst gave it land for its station at
his new village; but a bolder plan was
to have the county seat removed from
Johnstown. Only after a great effort
he succeeded. He gave the plot
known as 'the park' to the railroad
company and also gave to the county
the land occupied by the jail and court
house, an area of four acres. Lots
were offered at $50 to $100 and both
houses and stores were built, and to
boom the place, a grand hotel was
erected. In this way Fonda, as they
named the new settlement, was made
the county capital and started with
much promise. Yet, notwithstanding

all their push, the scheme did not suc-
ceed [financially] and Borst and his
associates were bitterly disappointed.
Johnstown was much distressed over
the loss of the public buildings, but a
new county [Fulton] was soon formed,
and the records were all copied,' down
to the creation of Fulton county, so
the loss was not deeply felt. The hard
feelings of its loss have now passed
away and the two places are now on
better terms than ever being connected
by two railroads and a macadam road."

Prior to Borst's land scheme the vil-
lage had existed in the Dutch hamlet
of Caughnawaga, on the site of an
Indian village. It is not improbable,
prior to the boom of Johnstown
caused by Sir William Johnson's re-
moval there in 1762, that Caughna-
waga may have been the largest center
of white population in present Fulton-
Montgomery county, little hamlet
though it was. Prior to the Revolu-
tion it was a center for public gath-
erings, for social intercourse, politics
and sports — such as horse racing, a
track being there located. Caughna-
waga still exists as the eastern end of
Fonda.

Says Beers: "The projectors of the
village of Fonda conceived that the
prospects of their enterprise would
be brightened by making the embryo
city the capital of Montgomery county.
A petition for the removal of the
county buildings was accordingly pre-
sented to the legislature in 1836. The
immediate vicinity of the Mohawk was
by this time so thickly inhabited that
the old county seat was not central to
the population of the county, and it
was left comparatively out of the
world by the construction of the Utica
and Schenectady railroad. The peti-
tion made a persuasive showing, on a
statistical liasis, of what proportion of
the inhabitants would be accommo-
dated by the proposed change; and an
act authorizing the erection of a court
house and jail at Fonda was passed
during the session in which it was
presented. The commissioners ap-
pointed to locate the buildings and
superintend construction were Aaron
C. Wheelock, Henry Adams and How-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

217

land Fish. The act required them to
raise and pay into the treasury of the
county $4,500, as a preliminary step,
and procure a site of at least three
acres for the new county buildmgs.
The comptroller was authorized, on
receiving a bond from the county
treasurer, to loan the county the sum
required [for the erection of the build-
ings] from the common school fund,
to be repaid at any time, or times
(within five years), that the supervis-
ors might decide upon. Under these
arrangements, the court house and
jail were built in 1836. The removal
of the county seat from Johnstown
was naturally very unsatisfactory to
the northern portion of the county, and
resulted in the division of Montgom-
ery two years later." The old court
house still stands and is a building
possessed of a simple and pleasing
exterior, in a somewhat classic style
of architecture. A new court "house
has been erected in a locality removed
from the noise of the Central trains
which pass immediately in front of the
older building. It is interesting to
note in the foregoing that the change
to Fonda and the building of the origi-
nal Central railroad are coincident in
point of time — 1836.

In 1836, Montgomery county (then
including Fulton) contained 585,000
acres of land; the value of its real es-
tate was $3,753,506 and the personal
estate $647,899. The county taxes
were $19,289.66 and the town taxes
$13,023.00.

There were then four academies in
the county, located at Amsterdam,
Kingsborough, Johnstown and Cana-
joharie. The county contained 8
woolen factories, 13 iron works, 5
paper mills, 62 tanneries, 8 breweries,
274 saw mills, 74 grist mills, 31 fulling
mills, 29 carding machines, 4 bil mills.

The following newspapers were is-
sued: The Johnstown Herald, The
Montgomery Republican, at Johns-
town; The Northern Banner, at
Broadalbin; The Intelligencer and
Mohawk Advertiser, at Amsterdam;
The Montgomery Argus, at Canajo-
harie; The Fort Plain Journal, at Fort
Plain; The Garland (semi-monthly)

and the Christian Palladium (semi-
monthly), at Union Mills.

The following are some of the of-
ficials of Montgomery (including Ful-
ton) county, in 1836, before its divi-
sion: Elijah Wilcox, collector of canal
tolls at Fultonville; John Livermore,
one of the canal superintendents of
repairs; David Spraker of Canajo-
harie, one of the four senators from
this, the fourth, district, embracing
Saratoga, Washington, St. Lawrence
and Montgomery counties; Henry V.
Berry of Caughnawaga (Fonda), Jo-
seph Blair of Mills' Corners, Jacob
Johnson of Minaville, members of as-
sembly; Abraham Morrell, David
Spraker, masters and examiners in
chancery; Abram Morrell, first judge
of the court of common pleas; Samuel
A. Gilbert, John Hand, Henry J. Diev-
endorff, David F. Sacia, judges of the
court of common pleas; Michael Ket-
tle, Johnstown, sheriff; Tobias A.
Stoutenburgh, Johnstown, surrogate;
Charles McVean, Johnstown, district
attorney; Joseph Farmer, Johnstown,
county treasurer; Matthias Bovee,
Amsterdam, member of congress. Ben-
edict Arnold of Amsterdam, was major
general of the second division of cav-
alry and Aaron C. Whitlock of Ephra-
tah, brigadier general in the same di-
vision of this branch of the state mi-
litia.

In the county there were 40 lawyers,
44 physicians and 28 clergymen, not
including the Methodists (for some
reason not enumerated in the list from
which this is taken).

Since this division of 1838, the pres-
ent ten towns of Montgomery have
retained boundaries given them then,
with the exception of the subtraction
of the Freysbush district from Cana-
joharie and its addition to Minden in
1849. This county dismemberment
made the towns of Amsterdam, Mo-
hawk and St. Johnsville very narrow
in width from north to south, in some
places their northern boundaries be-
ing within two miles of the river and
even a trifle less. The southside town-
ships were, of course, in nowise af-
fected.

At this important period there were,

218

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

in the county four villages — Johns-
town, incorporated 1808; Canajoharie,
incorporated 1829; Amsterdam, incor-
porated 1830; Fort Plain, incorporated
1832. The population of Johnstown
was (1836) 1200 to 1500 and of Fort
Plain about 400. No data exists on
the population of the other two.
Johnstown had 600 in 1802 and in 1844
had 250 dwellings. In 1804 Amster-
dam had 100, about equally divided
between Dutch and other elements,
and in 1813 it had 150. Its growth
thereafter was very rapid, outstrip-
ping the other villages in a few de-
cades. Glover sville had a dozen houses
in 1830. It was incorporated in 1851.
Fultonville was incorporated in 1848;
Fonda, in 1850 (probable population,
400); St. Johnsville, 1857 (with a pop-
ulation of 720).

In 1836 the population of Montgom-
ery county was almost entirely rural,
as will be seen from the figures of vil-
lage population then. Most of its peo-
ple were located on the farms, and en-
gaged in agriculture.

So much for the noble old county of
Montgomery, which had had an event-
ful existence with Fulton as part of it
for two-thirds of a century. From
the Montgomery county of 1784, em-
bracing half the state, it finally as-
sumed territorial borders which make
it one of the smallest in area of New
York's 62 counties.

Mr. Frothingham, who wrote the
foregoing concerning Fonda, is the
well-known clergyman and writer of
Fonda, now (1913) 92 years of age. He
was a boy of four when flatboats, on
the Mohawk, and huge freight wagons,
on the Mohawk turnpike, still carried
the bulk of the through freight
through the valley, prior to the open-

ing of the Erie canal in the fall of
1825. He was a youth of fifteen when
the first railroad train ran in the val-
ley and was a young man of seventeen
when Fulton was sundered from
Montgomery county. Mr. Frothing-
ham has seen most of the changes
which have taken place, in customs,
life and transportation in this section
from the early pioneer days. He
edited Mason's History of Montgom-
ery County, published in 1892, and has
written much concerning valley his-
torical matters.

Fulton county was named from Rob-
ert Fulton, whose success in promot-
ing steam navigation was at that time
(1838) still fresh in the public mem-
ory. Robert Fulton was born at Little
Britain, Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
vania, in 1765. He became a minia-
ture and portrait painter and practised
his art in Philadelphia, New York and
London. In England he turned his at-
tention to inventing, prodvicing sev-
eral mechanical contrivances. At this
time he became interested in canal
navigation and improvement. Later
in Paris he brought out a submarine
torpedo boat, which was rejected for
use by the French, British and United
States governments. In 1803 Fulton
built a steamboat on the Seine in
Paris. In 1807 he launched the steam-
boat Clermont on the Hudson in New
York, which made a successful trip to
Albany, and which may be said to
have solved the problem of steam nav-
igation. Fulton built many steam-
boats, ferryboats, etc., and in 1814 con-
structed the U. S. steamer, "Demolo-
gos" (later called Fulton the First),
which was the first war steamer built.
Robert Fvilton died in New York in
1815, aged 50 years.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

(THIRD SERIES 1838-1913)

CHAPTER I.

1838-1913 — Montgomery County, To-
pography, Population and History —
Farm Statistics and Amsterdam In-
dustrial Statistics — Fulton County,
Herkimer County and Mohawk Val-
ley Statistics.

The following or third series of
chapters treats of Montgomery county
and the middle Mohawk valley during
the years from 1838 (the date of separ-
ation of Fulton ■ from Montgomery
county) until the present day (1913):

Montgomery county of todaj'^ con-
sists of the ten townships of Amster-
dam, Mohawk, Palatine, St. Johnsville,
Minden, Canajoharie, Root, Glen,
Charleston, Florida. The towns along
the north side of the Mohawk river
from east to west are Amsterdam,
Mohawk, Palatine, St. Johnsville, while
the south shore towns from east
to west are Florida, Glen, Root, Cana-
joharie, Minden. The town of
Charleston is the only one in the
county whifh does not abut on the
river as it lies directly south of the
town of Glen. Glen and Charleston
lie on the west shore of the Schoharie
creek while Florida is on the east side,
these three towns being the ones in
Montgomery along which this pictur-
esque stream flows, finally emptying
into the Mohawk at Fort Hunter be-
tween the towns of Florida and Glen.
The Schoharie is the chief tributary of
the Mohawk.

The important creeks in the county
flowing into the Mohawk are, on the
north shore beginning at the west:
East Canada, at Bast Creek; Crum
creek, one-half mile east of East
Creek; Timmerman, at Upper St.
johnsville; Zimmerman's, at St. Johns-

ville; Caroga, at Palatine Church;
Knauderack, flowing through Schenck's
Hollow, past the county home; Caya-
dutta, at Fonda; Danoscara, at Tribes
Hill; Kayaderosseras, at Fort John-
son; Chuctanunda, at Amsterdam;
Evaskill, at Cranesville.

From west to east, on the south
shore, are the Otsquago, at Fort
Plain; Canajoharie, at Canajoharie;
Flat creek, at Sprakers; Yatesville
creek, at Randall; Allston, at Stone
Ridge; Auries, or Ochraqua, at Auries-
ville; Schoharie, at Fort Hunter;
South Chuctanunda, at Amsterdam
(south side); Cowilla, opposite Cranes-
ville. Persons interested in Montgom-
ery, its life and history would do well
to procure a map of the county.

The boundaries of Montgomery
county are north, Fulton; east, Sara-
toga and Schenectady; south, Schenec-
tady, Schoharie, Otsego; west, Herki-
mer.

In reference to its geology the fol-
lowing is briefly summarized from
Mason's: Gneiss is found in patches,
its principal locality being near the
Nose on the river. Resting upon it
are heavy masses of calciferous sand-
stone, mostly on the north side and
trending northward into Fulton coun-
ty. Next above the sandstone are the
Black River and Trenton limestone,
not important as surface rocks but
furnishing valuable quarries of build-
ing stone. Hudson river group slates
and shales extend along the south side
of the county and are found in a few
places north of the river. Drift and
boulders abound. A deep, rich, vege-
table mould forms the soil of the
alluvial plains or "flats" along the
river. On the uplands is mostly a
highly productive, sandy and gravelly

220

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

loam. The land is generally adapted
to agriculture and especially dairying,
which forms a leading feature of
Montgomery farm activities. Traces
of coal, lead and silver are found in
Montgomery county rocks.

The country is one of rolling hills
for the most part, although in some
parts, back from the river, it is only
gently undulating. Much of it is
broken and somewhat precipitous in
parts, particularly along the banks of
the streams. The picturesque Cana-
joharie creek gorge is a miniature can-
yon with walls 100 feet high in places.
There is much natural beauty through-
out the county, which is to be ex-
pected of a county 33 miles long and
lying along the Mohawk, famed as
traversing a most picturesque valley.
There are beautiful falls on the Can-
ajoharie, a mile south of the village of
that name and on Flat creek, a mile
south of Sprakers. There are sulphur
springs in almost every township.

The views from some of the hilltops
are always extensive and often inspir-
ing. From some heights foothills may
be seen which lie at the edge of the
great Adirondack forest, which also,
at one time, covered Montgomery
county extensively, with the exception
of the vlaies or natural meadows. The
following are the elevations of the
highest points of land, above sea level
as given on the map issued by S. Con-
over of Amsterdam: Minden, at
Salt Springville, 986; Canajoharie, at
Mapletown, 1213; Root, two miles
southeast of Lykers, 1310; Glen, two
miles south of Glen village, 1200;
Charleston, Oak Ridge, near Oak
Ridge settlement, 1446; Florida, two
miles southwest of Minaville, 1203;
Amsterdam, in the east central part,
700; Mohawk, Van Deusen Hill, 1029;
Palatine, Rickard's Hill in north part,
1029; St. Johnsville, Getman hill on
the north line in the east end, 1140.
Oak Ridge, 1446 feet, in Charleston, is
the highest point on the south side and
also in Montgomery county. It is 11
miles from the Mohawk. Getman Hill,
1140 feet, in St. Johnsville township, is
the highest northside point and is less
than three miles from the river. Sub-

tracting the river bed sea elevations
(302 feet at Fort Plain, 278 feet at
Fonda and 267 feet at Amsterdam),
will give the height of the hills above
the Mohawk. The best and most char-
acteristic valley views are to be ob-
tained on the hills, back from the Mo-
hawk river.

The area of Montgomery county is
about 385 square miles and the soil is
in general fertile, that on the "flats"
being a particularly rich loam. The
43d parallel of north latitude cuts di-
rectly through the center of St. Johns-
ville and the county lies between the
74th and 75th degree meridians west-
ward from Greenwich, England, and
2 and 3 degrees east of Washington.
It is bounded on the north by Fulton,
on the east by Saratoga and Schenec-
tady, on the south by Schoharie and
Otsego and on the west by Herkimer
county. It is 33 miles long and 15
miles wide at the point of the great-
est breadth at Randall. Yosts is al-
most exactly in its center lengthways.

Aside from the ten towns, it con-
tains the city of Amsterdam and the
villages of Hagaman and Fort Johnson
in Amsterdam town and the villages
of Fonda in Mohawk town, Palatine
Bridge and Nelliston in Palatine town,
St. Johnsville in St. Johnsville town,
Fort Plain in Minden town, Canajo-
harie in Canajoharie town, Fultonville
in Glen town. It also has the follow-
ing unincorporated places or neighbor-
hood centers: •

In Minden: — Mindenville, Minden,
Hallsville, Brookmans Corners, Salt
Springville, Freysbush.

In Canajoharie: — Sprout Brook, Van
Deusenville, Buel, Marshville, Ames,
Waterville, Mapletown.

In Root: — Sprakers, Randall, Flat
Creek, Browns Hollow, Lykers, Cur-
rytown, Rural Grove, Stone Ridge.

In Glen: — Glen, Auriesville, Mill
Point.

In Charleston: — Charleston Four
Corners, Charleston, Oak Ridge, Cary-
town, Burtonsville.

In Florida: — Fort Hunter, Minaville,
Miller Corners, Scotch Bush, Scotch
Church.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

221

In Amsterdam: — Cranesville, Manny-
Corners.

In Mohawk: — Tribes Hill, Berryville,
Yosts.

In Palatine: — McKinley, Stone Ara-
bia Four Corners, Stone Arabia, Three
Points, Wagners Hollow, Palatine
Church.

In St. Johnsville: — Upper St. Johns-
ville.

The following regards the civil gov-
ernment of Montgomery, the same as
that of other New York counties. It
forms, of course, part of a state sena-
torial and part of a national congres-
sional district, their boundaries vary-
ing at different times. It is an as-
sembly district and is represented by
one assemblyman at Albany.

The strictly county officers, with
their terms of office in years, are:
Sheriff, 3; county judge, 6; surrogate,
6; county clerk, 3; treasurer, 3; district
attorney, 3; four coroners, 4; superin-
tendent of poor, 3; two district school
commissioners (one for five west towns
and one for five east towns, exclusive
of the city of Amsterdam), 3. A county
highway superintendent, two commis-
sioners of elections and a sealer of
weights and measures are appointed
by the board of supervisors. For lists
of Montgomery county officers see
Beer's History of Montgomery and
Fulton Counties (1878) and Mason's
History of Montgomery County (1892).

The town officers are with their
terms of office in years: Supervisor,
2; town clerk, 2; four justices of peace,
4; three assessors, 4; one or three
highway superintendents, 2; overseer
of poor, 2; collector, 2; three auditors,
2; not more than five constables, 2; a
board of health composed of the town
board and a health officer (appointed).

The usual village officers are presi-
dent, board of trustees, boards of sewer
and water commissioners, clerk, treas-
urer, collector, police officers and street
commissioner.

The history of Montgomery county
from 1838, the date of separation of
Fulton "and Montgomery counties,
covers the Civil war period and is one
of agricultural development and

change, of the great increase and de-
velopment of the villages and the
county's city, Amsterdam, and the re-
markable growth of manufacturing in-
dustries in all the population centers
of importance. Hops, which were long
raised in the southern section of the
Montgomery, are but little cultivated on
account of the lack of reliability as to
crop and because of the competition of
the Pacific slope. The same is true of
broom corn which was so long a prin-
cipal crop on the river flatlands and
which stimulated the building of
broom factories in almost all the river
towns. The county has also largely
become a dairying section instead of
one where general crops (and wheat
largely) were raised 75 years ago.
There is but little lumbering done as
the available timber is largely gone
and areas must be replanted to pro-
tect the soil and the flow of the water-
courses. Fruit growing is of increas-
ing importance and much fine poultry
is raised both for market and for
breeding. Hay, oats and corn are the
three most important crops.

A large and interesting volume could
be made of the present industries of
old Montgomery (including present
Fulton) county. To the north of us in
Fulton there is lumbering and Glov-
ersville (with Johnstown) is the glove
manufacturing center of the United
States. Amsterdam has carpet works
of great size and capacity and "Am-
sterdam rugs" are sold everywhere in
enormous quantities. The same is true
of many other county manufactures.
Barkley's Geography of Montgomery
County, published in 1892, gives the
following as the natural and manu-
factured products of Montgomery, to
which additions have been made to
bring the list up to date.

Agricultural: — Cattle, horses, sheep,
swine, wool, hides, lumber, butter,
cheese, wheat, corn, oats, hay, rye,
buckwheat, potatoes, flax, hops, beans,
apples, pears, plums, grapes, honey,
alfalfa, eggs, poultry, vegetables and
garden truck.

Mineral: — Limestone, clay and sand.
Lead ore in small quantities has been
found on the banks of Flat creek in

222

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Root, and gold, copper, zinc and lead
had been obtained in non-payable
amounts from the banks of East Can-
ada creek in the town of St. Johnsville.
Limestone is found in abundance in
the towns or Amsterdam, Florida, Mo-
hawk, Root, Canajoharie, Palatine and
St. Johnsville. It was largely used for
building in the earlier days and made
handsome houses.

The manufactures of 1913 by towns
are as follows:

Amsterdam town and city: — Carpets,
rugs, knit goods, brooms, springs, lin-
seed oil, boilers, paper boxes, silk, beer,
malt, waterwheels, caskets, paper,
cigars, clothing, soda water, bricks,
wooden building material (sash, doors,
blinds, etc.), lumber.

Canajoharie: — Paper bags, food pro-
ducts, beer, flour, feed, cider, wagons.

Charleston: — Wagons, sleighs, flour,
feed, cotton yarn, lumber, cider, wine.

Florida: — Brooms, wagons, sleighs,
cultivators, wine.

Glen: — Silk goods, poultry coops,
brooms, stoves, lumber, cider, water-
wheels, castings, flour, feed.

Minden: — Knit goods, paper boxes,
furniture, broom machinery, flour,
feed, cider, pickles, hose bands, wag-
ons, silk goods, toy wagons, cabinets,
corn buskers, milk products, broom-
bands, cigars.

Mohawk: — Knit goods, paper, wag-
ons, soda water, flour, feed, tile, cider.

Palatine: — Condensed milk, candy,
milk products, straw board, vinegar,
cider.

Root: — Wagons, lumber, cider.

St. Johnsville: — Agricultural ma-
chinery, threshing machines, pianos,
piano actions, flfth wheels, wagons,
sleighs, knit goods, condensed milk,
carriage forgings, cider, flour, feed,
lumber, bricks, piano players.

The chief events in the history of
Montgomery county of the period be-
ing considered are: 1838, division of
Montgomery and Fulton counties; en-
largement of the Erie canal, begun in
1835; formation of Montgomery County
Agricultural society, 1844; Civil war
and enlistment of Montgomery county
men, 1861-5; completion Fonda, Johns-
town and Gloversville railroad, 1870;

West Shore railroad completed, 1883;
Amsterdam becomes a city, 1885; elec-
tric road connects Schenectady, Am-
sterdam, Fonda, Johnstown and Glov-
ersville, 1905; commencement of Barge
canal work, 1905; electric power plant
established at Ephratah, using waters
of Pecks Pond and Garoga lakes and
transmission line run to Fort Plain,
1911; 1911, Atwood's aeroplane flight
through the Mohawk valley on his St.
Louis to New York air trip. He landed
at Nelliston and remained over night
at Fort Plain.

An agricultural fair was held in old
Montgomery county at Johnstown, as
early as Oct. 12, 1819, by a society or-
ganized in that year. Fairs have been
held in most of the years succeeding
this date. In 1865, the Fulton County
Agricultural society bought 18 acres
near Johnstown for a permanent fair
ground. In recent years the fair has
been discontinued and the grounds
sold for building lots.

The growth of agricultural societies,
as relating to Montgom.ery, finds a
fitting place here. There are two of
these in the county, the Montgomery
County Agricultural society, holding
annual fall exhibitions and races at
Fonda on its fair grounds, and the
Port Plain Street Fair association
(mentioned elsewhere) holding an an-
nual September fair on the brick pave-
ments of Fort Plain.

In 1793 the Society for the Promo-
tion of Agriculture, Arts and Manu-
factures was established, and in 1801
this body, for convenience of action,
divided the state into agricultural dis-
tricts, each consisting of a county. A
secretary was appointed in each dis-
trict, whose duties were to convene the
members of the society within the
county, learn the state of agriculture
and manufactures therein and report
to the president of the society. Shortly
after this time, premiums were offered
for the best specimens of home made
cloth, and were awarded partly by the
general authority of the society and
partly by county judges appointed by
it. By an act of legislature, in 1819,
for the improvement of agriculture, a
board of officers was created and an

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

223

appropriation made for two years,
which was to be distributed among
the different counties of the state for
the advancement of agriculture and
domestic manufactures, on the condi-
tion that the counties themselves sub-
scribed an equal sum, but this was
carried out but little by the counties
and no permanent result came of it.
The present State Agricultural society
was formed in 1832. No state appro-
priation was made for it until 1841,
when measures were taken for raising
funds and holding annual fairs. In the
spring of 1841, $40,000 was appropri-
ated, partly to the state society and
partly for division among the counties
in proportion to their representation
in the assembly.

It was under this act that the Mont-
gomery County Agricultural society
was organized. Pursuant to a notice
by the county clerk, a meeting was
held Sept. 20, 1844, at the Fonda court
house. The committee on nominations
reported the following, which were
adopted: President, Tunis I. Van De-
veer; vice-presidents, Joshua Reed,
Peter H. Fonda; secretary, John Frey;
treasurer, John Nellis; board of direc-
tors, Amsterdam, Benedict Arnold;
Charleston, Robert Baird; Canajoharie,
Jeremiah Gardner; Florida, Lawrence
Servoss; Glen, Richard Hudson; Min-
den, Barney Becker; Mohawk, Lyndes
Jones; Palatine, William Snell; Root,
George Spraker; St. Johnsville, John
Y. Edwards. A committee was ap-
pointed to draft a constitution and re-
port it at a subsequent meeting, which
all desirous to promote the interests of
agriculture, manufactures and rural
arts, were earnestly invited to attend.

Oct. 13, 1844, the organization was
completed and arrangements made for
the first fair which was held at the
court house, Nov. 11, 12, 1844. The re-
xieipts came to $471,50 and the expenses
$462. The fair was held at the court
house for the three following years
(1844, 1845, 1846), the annual receipts
averaging about $250. In 1847 the fair
was held in Canajoharie. The next
four were held at the court house in
Fonda, the tenth (in 1853) at Fort
Plain, in St. Johnsville in 1854 and at

Canajoharie in 1855. Since then it has
been held annually at Fonda, that
place having been fixed upon as the
permanent locality in 1863. In 1860
the constitution and by-laws were
adopted, the officers to be a president,
two vice-presidents, a secretary and a
treasurer, an executive committee of
three, a board of directors consisting
of three members from each town of
the county. All of the officials' terms
were one year. Membership for one
year was put at 50 cents and persons
could become life members on pay-
ment of $10. The annual meeting is
held on the evening of the first day of
the fair and officers are then elected to
become active the following New Year.

In 1863 the society purchased its
present grounds in Fonda, a field of
13 acres, formerly belonging to the
Van Home family. The fair of 1864
was held on these new grounds and
proved the most successful up to that
date, the receipts being over $2,000 —
double those of any previous year. In
1872 further buildings were put up and
other improvements effected. In 1876,
the grandstand was built, and, as it
was centennial year, an unusually at-
tractive show was made in all depart-
ments and a great variety of sports
and races took place. The receipts
were $3,800. A street carnival feature
has since been added to the "Fonda
fair." There are many other agricul-
tural societies in the county, formed
for social or business purposes.

Montgomery county, like every other
section of the country, suffered terribly
from the Civil war. Its men responded
in numbers to the call to arms and
hundreds lie buried on southern battle-
fields or in the burial grounds of their
home neighborhoods. A dreadful sor-
row filled the valley and houses were
numberless where a father, husband or
son had gone to the front never to re-
turn alive.

The completion of the Fonda, Johns-
town and Gloversville railroad in 1870
was a county event of importance. In
1875 it was extended to Northville.

The construction of the West Shore
railroad (completed 1883) proved a
great stimulus to Montgomery towns

224

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

on the south shore. It has stations at
Amsterdam, Fort Hunter, Auriesville,
Fultonville, Randall, Sprakers, Cana-
joharie, Fort Plain, Mindenville. For
a time there was great competition be-
tween the two roads and the new
West Shore (so named from running
on the west side of the Hudson) made
business very lively. The competition
resulted in a cut rate of one cent a
mile which prevailed for awhile
through the valley. The West Shore
finally failed and was absorbed by the
New York Central and is now used
principally as a freight route.

The following newspapers are pub-
lished in Montgomery county: Am-
sterdam Recorder, Amsterdam Sentinel,
Mohawk Valley (Fonda) Democrat,
Montgomery County Republican (Ful-
tonville), Canajoharie Radii, Canajo-
harie Courier, Hay Trade Journal
(Canajoharie), Fort Plain Standard,
Mohawk Valley Register (Fort Plain),
Fort Plain Free Press, St. Johnsville
News, St. Johnsville Enterprise.

The following newspapers are pub-
lished in Fulton county: Gloversville
Herald, Gloversville Leader, Johns-
town Democrat.

The Mohawk valley has been the
scene of considerable change in its
population, although not to the same
extent as other parts of the United
States of America. The rural popula-
tion of Montgomery and parts of Ful-
ton is probably largely identical with,
that of a century ago and it is prob-
able that much of this farm population
is no greater in certain localities than
in 1812, and in some sections even less.
It is in the cities and towns that the
greatest population changes have oc-
curred and these largely coincide with
the conglomerate urban people of the
rest of the United States. In the val-
ley, however, there is generally a sub-
stratum of the original white popula-
tion in the cities and larger villages.
With the exception of the city of Am-
sterdam the county of Montgomery has
a population throughout very similar to
that here present in the early part of
the nineteenth century or before the
division of Montgomery and Fulton
counties in 1838. This is largely due

to the fact that there has been no
great incentive to immigration into
the county since then, with the excep-
tion of the industrial opportunities of-
fered by the east end city. It is prob-
able that certain early elements which
came into the valley after the Revolu-
tion have largely decreased — such as
the New England, which we read of so
largely at that time and whose rest-
lessness (its greatest weakness) in-
duced these Yankees to again take up
a western hegira. The early men of
this region not only largely developed
it but have themselves scattered all
over the country and Mohawk valley
names may now be found from the Mo-
hawk river to San Francisco bay. New
York city had, for a number of years,
a Montgomery County society, which
numbered 200 members and held an-
nual dinners.

The valley has witnessed and partic-
ipated in that great urban growth and
development which was a leading
characteristic of national life in the
nineteenth century. This has not only
brought in un-American peoples but
has, by its indoor life and sedentary
work, markedly depreciated the vigor
of the original Mohawk valley stock.

Recent years in Montgomery county
have been marked principally by the
great development of manufactures,
highway improvements, electric trolley
road building, utilization and trans-
mission of electric power, free rural
mail delivery, city and village improve-
ment, and the construction of the
Barge canal which is to replace the
Erie.

It has been a peaceful time, broken
only by the Spanish war of 1898 which
called to the service a few men of
Montgomery. In a general way, it is
the industrial development, the solu-
tion of social and economic problems,
the improvement of rural communica-
tion, the development of rural life and
the improvement in agriculture which
immediately concern the people of
Montgomery county.

The towns along the Mohawk, in-
cluding those in Montgomery county,
are so situated that it is probable they
will experience a gradual but sure

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

225

growth into cities, some of consider-
able size. Their location on the Barge
canal and two lines of railroad is the
main cause of this development, com-
bined with their situation in a rich
agricultural territory with foodstuffs
raised at their very doors and serving
as markets for the farming country for
miles around. The gradual growth of
these Mohawk river centers has been
largely composed of the original pop-
ulation and without a great access of
an undesirable foreign element. There
have been exceptions to this rule, but
it is to be hoped that such conditions
will prevail, thereby avoiding many of
the evils which have followed the un-
desirable and rapid growth of cities
in other sections of the country. The
development of Schenectady, from the
quiet Dutch town of 1880, with a popu-
lation of less than 15,000, to the great
manufacturing center of 1910 with
72,000 people, has been the one marked
exception to the gradual growth of
the other river towns. In a lesser way
the building up of Amsterdam in the
same period, is also noteworthy. Its
population of 31,267 in 1910 made it the
third city, in point of size in the Mo-
hawk valley and was more than half
of the Montgomery county population
of 57,567. Amsterdam's growth is en-
tirely rest)onsible for the increase of
the county's population in recent
years and it is probable that the rest
of Montgomery's population has de-
creased in the past fifty years. "With
the growing demand for foodstuffs
and their increasing price, a growth
in the agricultural population can be
looked for, particularly in sections so
favorably situated as to markets and
transportation as the townships im-
mediately adjacent to the Mohawk
river. So that with growing towns and
demand for agricultural products, com-
bined with the good land available, it
is reasonable to suppose the already
large Mohawk valley population will
be much greater in the years to come
— a population which may easily com-
prise a million people in time. This is,
of course, provided that the water sup-
ply of the valley is conserved by refor-
estation, dams, etc. No section can

grow beyond its water supply. The
rainfall of the Mohawk basin has been
steadily decreasing for a century.

The area of Montgomery county is
254,720 acres. That of Fulton county
is 330,240 acres. The area of old Mont-
gomery county, which included these
divisions prior to 1838, was 584,960
acres. Root is the largest town of
Montgomery county and St. Johnsville
is the smallest. With the figures at
hand it is impossible to give the area
of each township. Root, Florida and
Minden are the three largest towns.
However the size of townships or
cpunties means little as they are only
imaginary divisions.

The census department at Washing-
ton has kindly furnished figures for
this work relative to the population of
Montgomery county. In 1790 the pop-
ulation of Montgomery was 18,261. In
1850 (after the detachment of Fulton
county) the population was 31,992;
1860, 30,866; 1870, 34,457; 1880, 38,315;
1890, 45,699; 1900, 47,488; 1910, 57,567.

The 1910 population by towns is as
follows: Amsterdam, including Am-
sterdam city, 34,341; Canajoharie, 3,-
889; Charleston, 900; Florida, 1,904;
Glen, 2,002; Minden, 4,645; Mohawk,
2,488; Palatine, 2,517; Root, 1,512; St.
Johnsville, 3,369.

The populations of the villages and
city are as follows: Amsterdam city,
31,267; Fort Plain, 2,762; St. Johnsville,
2,536; Canajoharie, 2,273; Fonda, 1,100;
Hagaman, 875; Fultonville, 812; Nel-
liston, 737; Fort Johnson (incorporated
1909, formerly Akin), 600; Palatine
Bridge, 392.

The incorporation of the villages of
Montgomery county took place as fol-
lows: Canajoharie, 1829; Amsterdam,
1830; Fort Plain, 1832; Fultonville,
1848; Fonda, 1850; St. Johnsville, 1857.
Since the latter date the villages of
Hagaman, Palatine Bridge, Nelliston
and Fort Johnson have been incor-
porated.

There are several population centers
in the county which include two or
more incorporated or unincorporated
places. With the best census figures
and estimates at hand the total popu-

226

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

lation of these centers, which virtually
form single communities, are as fol-
lows: Amsterdam - Hagaman - Fort
Johnson-Rockton, 33,792; Fort Hunter-
Tribes Hill, 1,000; Fonda-Fultonville,
1,912; Canajoharie-Palatine Bridge,
2,665; Fort Plain-Nelliston, 3,499

The variation of population in the
different townships is shown in the
following figures. From a study of
these it is shown that the rural popu-
lation has steadily declined since 1850
while the towns have increased. While
the decline of the number of people in
the agricultural sections seems to be
still going on, it is not probable that
it will long continue. On the other
hand an increase of the farming popu-
lation may be looked for in the future.
The town populations by censuses fol-
low:

Amsterdam, 1850, 4,128; 1880, 11,170;
1910 (including Amsterdam city, ex-
cept the south side fifth ward in the
town of Florida, formerly Port Jack-
son), 31,962.

Canajoharie, 1850, 4,097; 1880, 4,294;
1910, 3,889.

Charleston, 1850, 2,216; 1880, 1,334;
1910, 900.

Florida, 1850, 3,571; 1880, 3,249; 1910,
(including former Port Jackson village,
or Amsterdam city fifth ward), 4,283.

Glen, 1850, 3,043; 1880, 2,622; 1910,
2,002.

Minden, 1850, 4,623; 1880, 5,100; 1910,
4,645.

Mohawk, 1850, 3,095; 1880, 2,943;
1910, 2,488.

Palatine, 1850, 2,856; 1880, 2,786;
1910, 2,517.

Root, 1850, 2,736; 1880, 2,275; 1910,
1,512.

St. Johnsville, 1850, 1,627; 1880, 2,002;
1910, 3,369.

According to the foregoing every
town in the county has lost in popula-
tion, from 1850 to 1910, except Amster-
dam and St. Johnsville.

The census of 1910 places the popu-
lation of Montgomery county at 57,567
and that of Fulton county at 44,534.
The combined population of Fulton
and Montgomery counties is 102,091.
The total number of farms in the two
counties is 4,221, with a total agricul-

tural production valued at $6,707,681 in
1909. The combined value of goods
manufactured in Montgomery and
Fulton counties in 1909 is roughly es-
timated at $50,000,000.

For this work it is impossible to ob-
tain figures of manufactures, as relat-
ing to New York state, by counties so
details regarding such production is
lacking for Montgomery and Fulton
counties. The number of all farms in
Montgomery county in 1910 was 2,189
as against 2,407 in 1900. In Fulton
county there were 1,932 farms in 1910
and 2,234 in 1900.

The following interesting informa-
tion regarding the condition of agri-
culture in Montgomery county is fur-
nished by the census of 1910:

Population (1910), 57,567; population
in 1900, 47,488.

Number of all farms, 2,189; number
bf all farms in 1900, 2,407.

Color and nativity of farmers — Na-
tive white, 1,883; foreign-born white,
306.

Number of farms, classified by size —
Under 3 acres, 17; 3 to 9 acres, 148; 10
to 19 acres, 126; 20 to 49 acres, 191; 50
to 99 acres, 514; 100 to 174 acres, 888;
175 to 259 acres, 249; 260 to 499 acres,
52; 500 to 999 acres, 3; 1,000 acres and
over, 1.

Land and farm area — Approximate
land area, 254,720 acres; land in farms,
234.041 acres; land in farms in 1900,
236,934 acres; improved land in farms,
195,262 acres; improved land in farms
in 1900, 202,394 acres; woodland in
farms, 25,002 acres; other unimproved
land in farms, 13,777 acres; per cent of
land area in farms, 91.9; per cent of
farm land improved, 83.4; average
acres per farm, 106.9; average improv-
ed acres per farm, 89.2.

Value of farm property — All farm
property, $15,460,547; all farm property
in 1900, $12,929,081; per cent increase,
1900-1910, 19.6; land, $6,303,804; land
in 1900, $5,941,600; buildings, $5,517,979;
buildings in 1900, $4,608,840; imple-
ments and machinery, $1,120,835; im-
plements, etc., in 1900, $769,990; do-
mestic animals, poultry and bees, $2,-
517,929; domestic animals, etc., in
1900. $1,608,651.

Per cent of value of all property in —
Land, 40.8; buildings, 35.7; imple-
ments and machinery, 7.2; domestic
animals, poultry and bees, 16.3.

Average values — All property per
farm, $7,063; land and buildings per
farm, $5,401; land per acre, $26.93;
land per acre in 1900, $25.08.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

227

Domestic animals (farms and
ranges) — Farms reporting domestic
animals, 2,099; value of domestic ani-
mais, $2,399,736.

Cattle — Total number, 36,537; dairy
cows, 22,S04; other cows, 1,640; year-
ling heifers, 3,629; calves, 6,725; year-
ling steers and bulls 1,134; other steers
and bulls, 605; value, $1,234,434.

Horses — Total number, 7,639; ma-
ture horses, 7,221; yearling colts, 327;
spring colts, 91; value, $1,065,093.

Mules — -Total number, 5; mature
mules, 4; yearling colts, 1; value, $655.

Swine — Total number, 9,098; mature
hogs, 4,944; spring pigs, 4,154; value,
$74,709.

Sheep — Total number, 3,902; rams,
ewes and wethers, 2,108; spring lambs,
1,794; value, $24,746.

Goats — Number, 21; value, $99.

Poultry and Bees — Number of poul-
try of all kinds, 143,302; value, $102,-
959; number of colonies of bees, 3,615;
value, $15,234.

Number, acreage and value of farms
classified by tenure, color and nativity
of farmers and mortgage debt by coun-
ties: April 15, 1910:

Farms operated by owners — Number
of farms, 1,446; number of farms in
1900, 1,550; per cent of all farms, 66.1;
per cent of all farms in 1900, 64.4; land
in farms, 139,760 acres; improved land
in farms, 115,923 acres; value of land
and buildings, $7,117,522. Degree of
ownership: Farms consisting of own-
ed land only, 1,341; farms consisting of
owned and hired land, 105. Color and
nativity of owners: Native white, 1,-
226; foreign-born white, 220.

Farms operated by tenants — Number
of farms, 719; number of farms in
1900, 819; per cent of all farms, 32.8;
per cent of all farms in 1900, 34.0; land
in farms, 89,673 acres; improved land
in farms, 75,378 acres; value of land
and buildings, $4..347,361. Form of ten-
ancy: Share tenants, 458; share-cash
tenants, 12; cash tenants, 241; tenure
not specified, 8. Color and nativity of
tenants: Native white, 635; foreign-
born white, 84.

Farms operated by managers — Num-
ber of farms, 24; number of farms in
1900, 38; land in farms, 4,608 acres;
improved land in farms, 3,961 acres;
value of land and buildings, $356,900.

Mortgage debt reports — For all
farms operated by owners: Number
free from mortgage debt, 849; number
with mortgage debt, 588; number with
no mortgage report, 9. For farms
consisting of owned land only: Num-
ber reporting debt and amount, 506;
value of their land and buildings, $2,-
268,987; amount of mortgage debt,
$878,719; per cent of value of land and
buildings, 38.7.

Live stock products (1909) — Dairy
products: Dairy cows on farms re-

porting dairy products, 22,128; dairy
cows on farms reporting milk produc-
ed, 19,314; milk produced, 11,123,057
gallons; milk sold, 10,288,208 gallons;
cream sold, 3,377 gallons; butter fat
sold, 449,839 pounds; butter produced,
236.592 pounds; butter sold, 155,301
pounds; cheese produced, 950 pounds;
cheese sold, 900 pounds; value of dairy
products, excluding home use of milk
and cream, $1,299,769; receipts from
sale of dairy products, $1,277,634.
Poultry products: Number of poultry
raised, 159,955; number of poultry
sold, 64,106; eggs produced, 916,984
dozens; eggs sold, 651,515 dozens;
value of poultry and eggs produced,
$315,758; receipts from sale of poultry
and eggs, $199,250. Honey and wax:
Honey produced, 123,366 pounds; wax
produced, 1,478 pounds; value of honey
and wax produced, $13,759. Wool,
mohair and goat hair: Wool, number
fleeces shorn, 1,685; mohair and goat
hair, number fleeces shorn, 8; value of
wool and mohair produced, $3,185.

Domestic animals sold or slaughter-
ed (1909) — Calves, number sold or
slaughtered, 16,515; other cattle, num-
ber sold or slaughtered, 4.442; number
horses, mules and asses and burros
sold, 352; number swine sold or
slaughtered, 1,582; receipts from sale
of animals, $265,270; value of animals
slaughtered, $156,419.

Value of all crops and principal
classes thereof and acreage and pro-
duction of principal crops, 1909:

Value of all crops, $2,673,527; cer-
eals, $756,512; other grains and seeds,
$3,078; hay and forage, $1,433,171; veg-
etables, $204,201; fruits and nuts, $101,-
027; all other crops, $175,538.

Selected crops — Cereals: Total, 42,-
071 acres; 1,282,282 bushels. Corn, 10,-
003 acres; 398,357 bushels. Oats, 25,-
507 acres; 726,120 bushels. Wheat, 312
acres; 7,893 bushels. Barley, 284
acres; 7,233 bushels. Buckwheat. 5,470
acres; 133,434 bushels. Rye, 486 acres;
8,967 bushels. Other grains: Dry
peas, 21 acres; 422 bushels. Dry edi-
ble beans, 103 acres; 875 bushels. Hay
and forage, 86,409 acres; 130,173 tons.
All tame or cultivated grasses, 82,109
acres; 94,i777 tons. Timothy alone,
23,867 acres; 26,937 tons. Timothy
and clover, mixed. 51,322 acres; 58,529
tons. Clover alone, 5,411 acres; 6,951
tons. Alfalfa, 201 acres; 490 tons.
Millet or Hungarian grass, 289 acres;
572 tons. Other tame or cultivated
grasses, 1,019 acres; 1,298 tons. Wild,
salt or prairie grasses, 10 acres; 10
tons. Grains cut green, 92 acres; 131
tons. Coarse forage, 4,198 acres; 35,-
253 tons. Root forage, 2 tons. Special
crops: Potatoes, 2,007 acres; 193,644
bushels. All other vegetables, 1,021
acres. Hops, 209 acres; 148,329
pounds. Number maple trees, 9,470;

228

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

maple sugar made, 294 pounds; maple
syrup made, 2,941 gallons.

Fruits and Nuts — Orchard fruits:
Total number trees, 97,906; 140,105
bushels. Apples, 77,804 trees; 131,264
bushels. Peaches and nectarines, 309
trees; 226 bushels. Pears. 5,159 trees;
2,742 bushels. Plums and prunes, 9,001
trees; 4,411 bushels. Cherries, 5,561
trees; 1,447 bushels. Quinces, 37 trees;
4 bushels. Grapes 8,612 vines; 81,787
pounds. Small fruits: Total, 89
acres; 117,489 quarts. Strawberries, 21
acres; 45,515 quarts. Raspberries and
loganberries, 38 acres; 45,454 quarts.
Nuts, 2,700 trees; 42.530 pounds.

Selected farm expenses and receipts,

1909:

Labor: Farms reporting, 1,659; cash
expended, $372,973; rent and board
furnished, $153,487. Fertilizer: Farms
reporting, 868; amount expended, $32,-
960. Feed: Farms reporting, 1,378;
amount expended, $184,083. Receipts
from sale of feedable crops, $411,442.

Number and value of domestic ani-
mals not on farms April 15, 1910:

Inclosures reporting domestic ani-
mals, 1,182; value of domestic animals,
$387,155. Cattle: Total number, 210;
value, $8,999; number of dairy cows,
154. Horses: Total number, 2,103;
value, $371,169; number of mature
horses, 2,089. Mules and asses and
burros: Total number, 19; value, $4,-
420; number of mature mules, 18.
Swine: Total number, 241; value,
$2,409. Sheep and goats: Total num-
ber, 19; value, $158.

The total value of all the products
of Montgomery county farms, includ-
ing dairy, poultry, eggs, honey and
wax, wool, domestic animals sold and
slaughtered, and all crops (exclusive
of lumber) was $4,727,687 in 1909.

While the census statistics of manu-
factures for the counties of New York
state are not available, those for its
cities of over 10,000 population are
given. Of the class of (41) cities, be-
tween ten and fifty thousand inhabi-
tants, Amsterdam leads in the number
of its people engaged in industry —
10,776. It has 97 industrial establish-
ments and produced $22,449,000 worth
of manufactures in 1909 against $10,-
643,000 in 1899, or an increase of over
100 per cent in ten years.

It is probable that the t^tal manu-
factures of Montgomery county exceed
$28,000,000 annually.

The following figures are given rela-
tive to Fulton county's agricultural in-
terests. They will form an interesting
table in comparison with the first one
published relative to Montgomery,
whose farming statistics are given in
full. It has been the aim, in this work,
to still consider Fulton and Montgom-
ery counties (old Montgomery county)
as one civil section. The Fulton county
farming figures follow:

Population, 44,534; population in
1900, 42,842.

Number of all farms, 1,932; number
ofall farms in 1900, 2,234.

Color and nativity of farmers: Na-
tive white, 1,795; foreign-born white,
134; negro and other non-white, 3.

Number of farms, classified by size:
Under 3 acres, 12; 3 to 9 acres, 101; 10
to 19 acres, 122; 20 to 49 acres, 305; 50
to 99 acres, 514; 100 to 174 acres, 628;
175 to 259 acres, 179; 260 to 499 acres,
60; 500 to 999 acres, 3; 1,000 acres and
over, 8.

Land and farm area — Approximate
land area, 330,240 acres; land in farms,
205,845 acres; land in farms in 1900,
208.687 acres; improved land in farms,
98,781 acres; improved land in farms
in 1900, 115,213 acres; woodland in
farms, 69,219 acres; other unimproved
land in farms, 37,845 acres; per cent
of land area in farms, 62.3; per cent of
farm land improved. 48.0; average
acres per farm, 106.5; average im-
proved acres per farm, 51.1.

Value of farm property — All farm
property, $6,808,265; all farm property
in 1900, $5,834,750; per cent increase.
1900-1910, 16.7; land, $2,659,010; land
in 1900, $2,603,800; buildings, $2,549,-
545; buildings in 1900, $2,066,850; im-
plements and machinery $465,742; im-
plements, etc., in 1900, $331,420; do-
mestic animals, poultry and bees, $1,-
133,968; domestic animals, etc., in 1900,
$832,680.

Per cent of value of all property in —
Land, 39.1; buildings, 37.4; imple-
ments and machinery, 6.8; domestic
animals, poultry and bees, 16.7.

Average values — All property per
farm, $3,524; land and buildings per
farm, $2,696; land per acre, $12.92;
land per acre in 1900, $12.48.

Domestic animals (farms and
ranges) — Farms reporting domestic
animals. 1,741; value of domestic ani-
mals, $1,079,357.

Cattle — Total number, 16,096; dairy
cows, 9,835; other cows, 990; yearling
heifers, 1608; calves, 2,896; yearling
steers and bulls, 385; other steers and
bulls, 382; value $486,396.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

229

Horses — Total number, 4,064; ma-
ture horses, 3,851; yearling colts. 198;
spring colts, 15; value, $543,860.

Mules — Total number, 8; mature
mules, 7; yearling co!ts, 1; value,
$1,735.

Asses and burros — Number, 2; value,
$425.

Svi'ine — Total number, 4,344; ma-
ture hogs, 2,519; spring pigs, 1.825;
value, $38,471.

Sheep — Total number, 2,027; rams,
ewes and wethers. 1,290; spring lambs,
737; value, $8,413.

Goats — Number, 15; value, $57.

Poultry and Bees: Number of poul-
try of all kinds. 67,193; value, $49,239;
number of colonies of bees. 1,265;
value, $5,372.

Fulton county's farms produced in
1909, products of the following value:
Dairy products, $437,818; poultry and
eggs, $150,387; honey and wax, $3,169;
wool and mohair, $1,542; domestic ani-
mals sold, $96,404; domestic animals
slaughtered, $89,873; all crops, $1,200,-
801. Total valu^ of Fulton county
farm production for 1909 (exclusive of
lumber), $1,979,994.

Fulton county has the city of Glov-
ersville (first incorporated as a village
in 1851), with a population (1910) of
20,642, and the city of Johnstown (first
incorporated as a village in 1808), with
a population (1910) of 10,447. They
are so closely joined that they may
justly be considered one population
center of over 31,000. Northville (pop-
ulation, 1,130) and Mayfield (popula-
tion, 509) are the two other incorpor-
ated places of Fulton county.

Gloversville has 6,604 persons en-
gaged in industry (mostly glovemak-
ing), 187 establishments, with products
of a value, for 1909, of $14,171,000, a
great increase over 1899 when ap-
proximately $9,000,000 of manufactures
were produced. Johnstown has 3.009
persons engaged in industry (largely
glovemaking), 138 establishments and
a manufactured product, for 1909, of
$6,574,000 against approximately $5,-
000,000 in 1899. Johnstown and Glov-
ersville together, produced $20,745,000
worth of goods in 1909, which included
practically all the manufactures of
Fulton county.

Population, 56,356. Number of
farms, 1910, 3,092. Number of farms,
1900, 3,227. Native white farmers,
2,769. Foreign born farmers, 322.

Land area, 933,760 acres, farm lands
(acres), 371,969. Improved farm lands,
258,595. Farm woodland, 76,385. Other
unimproved farm land, 36,989.

Value of domestic animals, $3,631,-
865. Cattle, 64,914. Dairy cows, 40,423.
Horses, 8,213. Swine, 9,754. Sheep,
2,957. Poultry, 134,528. Colonies of
bees, 2,179.

Value of dairy products, $2,199,633.
Value of poultry and eggs, $290,047.
Value of honey and wax, $8,976. Value
of cut of wool and mohair, $2,825. Re-
ceipts from sale of animals, $467,399.
Value of animals slaughtered, $176,655.
Value of all crops produced, $2,847,042.
Total 1909 farm production of Herki-
mer county (lumber excluded), $5,992,-
577.

Herkimer county is the leading dairy
county of the Mohawk valley in pro-
portion to its improved farm acreage,
although Oneida county with an acre-
age of 800,000 and 6,929 farms, leads in
total value of all dairy and other farm
products, and is therefore the first (in
1910) agricultural county of the six
Mohawk valley counties.

Herkimer county has one city, Little
Falls (incorporated 1895), with a pop-
ulation of 12,273. It has 4,211 persons
engaged in industry in 55 establish-
ments and in 1909 produced $8,460,000
worth of manufactures. Herkimer
county has the important sister villages
of Herkimer, Mohawk, Ilion and
Frankfort (virtually one community,
with a population of about 20,000) and
the lively village of Dolgeville, in the
town of Manheim on East creek. The
total manufacturing product value
yearly for Herkimer county may ex-
ceed $25,000,000.

Following is a brief resume of 1909
agricultural statistics for Herkimer
county:

Let us turn from the dry bones of
these statistics to a charming view of
the farming country of Montgomery
and the valley of the Mohawk. It is
from the pen of Mrs. A. D. Smith and
formed part of a sketch published in
the Fultonville Republican, Dec. 5,
1912, entitled "A Ramble — Visit to a
Colonial House." The building de-

230

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

scribed is. the frame house erected in
1743 by John Butler, father of the no-
torious Walter Butler of Revolutionary
infamy, located about a mile north-
east of Fonda. The prelude to the
sketch mentioned is here reproduced:
"On one of the recent Indian sum-
mer days we chanced to walk over
Switzer hill, turning our glances back-
ward now and then to take in the re-
markable panorama to the south — the
distant hills, bathed in azure, the broad
meadows, the populous settlements, the
cattle grazing, the husbandman bend-
ing over his plow, the historic Mo-
hawk moving, in its sinuous pathway,
on toward the ocean, the mystical au-
tumn light over the rare scene. Close
at one side was the ravine with bab-
bling brook; the great pines to our
right, sighing and moaning, making
music all the day. Charmed with the
beauties of the scene, in our heart we
uttered a silent prayer and thereby
were refreshed from within as well as
from without. We saw on every hand
preparations for the winter season, the
golden risks of corn, the barrels of
ruddy apples, great piles of cabbages,
golden pumpkins, casks of sweet cider,
fresh from the mill, flocks of chickens,
broods of turkeys ready to be sacri-
ficed for the national feast. And we
said, fortunate the man who lives
much in the open, close to nature,
breathes the pure air and works with
the mystical forces of the earth with
God as an ally. The farmer learns a
powerful lesson in faith and strength."

According to the United States cen-
sus of 1910, the six Mohawk valley
counties comprise an area of 2,861,440
acres divided as follows: Oneida,
800,000; Herkimer, 933,760; Montgom-
ery, 254,720; Fulton, 330,240; Schenec-
tady, 131,840; Schoharie, 410,880. It
is estimated that this area of the Mo-
hawk valley counties was divided in
1910, about as follows: Improved farm
land, 1,350,000 acres; unimproved farm
land, 260,000 acres; town sites, 100,-
000 acres; waste land or land occupied
by industries, railroads, etc., outside
towns, 100,000 acres; forest and farm

woodland, 1,050,000 acres. In these six
counties were 18,457 farms, on which
there were 14,034 operating owners, the
remainder being leased. There was a
marked decrease in farms in all these
six Mohawk counties from 1900 to
1910, and there was a similar decrease
in acreage of improved farm land in all
the six counties except Oneida. In the
six counties combined the improved
farm land acreage decreased from
1,515,745 acres in 1900 to 1,351,461
acres in 1910, showing that much land
is reverting to widerness. Most of
the farm lands are fertile — the Mo-
hawk flats being reputed to be among
the richest lands of the world. Dairy-
ing is the leading agricultural indus-
try. Hops are grown to a lessening
extent in the southern watershed and
poultry, fruits and market gardening
are increasingly important farm fea-
tures of the valley.

The six Mohawk valley counties
have the following population: One-
ida, 154,157; Herkimer, 56,356; Mont-
gomery, 57,567; Fulton, 44,534; Schen-
ectady, 88,235; Schoharie, 23,855. To-
tal, 424,704 (census, 1910). That of
New York state (1910), was 9,113,614,
so that the population of the Mohawk
watershed counties was, in 1910, .0467
of that of the state or a little less than
one-twentieth.

The towns are located almost ex-
clusively on the Mohawk river; 310,-
000 of the 425,000 population of the
watershed being so located in centers
of 1,000 and over; in centers of from
250 to 1,000, 35,000; farm population,
80,000. A large part of this population
is descended from the pre-Revolution-
ary Dutch, German and British set-
tlers of the Mohawk basin. At the
beginning of the Revolution the popu-
lation of the Mohawk valley was about
20,000 whites and 1,000 or more Iro-
quois. •

Seventeen towns, of over 1,000 pop-
ulation, line the Mohawk, from its
■Bouce to its outlet into the Hudson. On
its tributary streams are seven more,
making twenty-four in the Mohawk
watershed. From the source of the
Mohawk to Rome (a distance of
twenty miles), the largest town is

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

231

West Leyden with 600 population.
According to the censns of 1910, the
population of the towns mentioned,
from Rome eastward, was as follows:
Rome, 20,497; Oriskany, 1,200; Water-
ville on Oriskany creek, 1,410; Clinton,
on Oriskany creek, 1,236, Whitesboro,
2,375; New Hartford, 1,195, and New
York Mills, on Saquoit creek, 2,600;
Utica, 74,419; Frankfort, 3,303; Ilion,
6,588; Mohawk, 2,079; Herkimer, 7,520;
Little Falls, 12,273; Dolgeville, on East
Canada creek, 2,685; St. Johnsville,
2,536; Fort Plain, 2,762; Canajoharie,
2,273; Fonda, 1,100; on the Cayadutta,
Johnstown, 10,447; Gloversville, 20,642;
on the Schoharie, Cobleskill, 2,086;
Middleburg, 1,114; Amsterdam, 31,267;
Scotia, 2,957; Schenectady, 72,826; Co-
hoes, 24,709. A great variety of manu-
factures is produced in these centers,
most of which are strictly manufac-
turing towns, although all are more or
less, centers of trade for their tributary
agriculture districts.

Manufacturing was generally begun
in the valley population centers from
50 to 100 years ago. Their industries
comprise a great range of goods, some
of which have long been made in the
valley and are identified with its
growth. The knit goods industry is
the leading one. Some of the other
Mohawk valley manufactures are white
goods, arms, typewriters, woodwork,
house and office furniture, dairy ma-
chinery and goods, agricultural ma-
chinery, piano actions, paper bags,
broom machinery and articles, food
products, milk products, gloves, car-
pets and rugs, locomotives, electrical
machinery and manufactured goods,
paints, oils, varnishes, wagons, flour,
feed, lumber, paper.

CHAPTER II.

1848 — Trip of Benson J. Lossing from
Currytown to Sharon Springs, to
Cherry Valley, to Fort Plain — Revo-
lutionary Scenes and People Then
Living.

Benson J. Lossing has the following
account of a trip in 1848 around about
Fort Plain, published in his "Pictorial
Field Book of the Revolution" (1850),

in which he covers thoroughly the
Revolutionary news, happenings and
personages of the Mohawk valley.
Much of this volume was gathered
while the author was visiting around
and in Fort Plain, which he made his
headquarters for gathering data. The
condensed Revolutionary biographies
in this work were largely compiled or
taken from the Field Book. It covers
a journey from Currytown to Cherry
Valley, by way of Sharon Springs, and
from Cherry Valley to Fort Plain.

After referring to the Currytown raid
and massacre of 1781, Lossing says that
after Lieut. McKean was buried near
the Fort Plain blockhouse, it was af-
terward called Fort McKean in his
honor. Referring to the massacre by
the Indians of the prisoners taken at
Currytown, he says:

"At the time of the attack the In-
dians had placed most of their pris-
oners on the horses which they had
stolen from Currytown and each was
well guarded. When they were about
to retreat before Willett, fearing the
recapture of the prisoners and the con-
sequent loss of scalps, the savages be-
gan to murder and scalp them. Young
Dievendorff (my informant) leaped
from his horse and, running toward
the swamp, was pursued, knocked
down by a blow of a tomahawk upon
his shoulder, scalped and left for dead.
Willett did not bury his slain but a de-
tachment of militia, under Col. Veeder,
who repaired to the field after the bat-
tle, entombed them, and fortunately
discovered and proceeded to bury the
bodies of the prisoners who were mur-
dered and scalped near the camp.
Young Dievendorff, who was stunned
and insensible, was seen struggling
among the leaves and his bloody face
being mistaken for that of an Indian,
one of the soldiers leveled his musket
to shoot him. A fellow soldier, per-
ceiving his mistake, knocked up his
piece and saved the lad's life. He was
taken to Fort Plain, and, being placed
under the care of Dr. Faugh t, a Ger-
man physician of Stone Arabia, was
restored to health. It was five years,
however, before his head was perfectly
healed; and when I saw him (August,

232

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

1848), it had the tender appearance and
feeling of a wound recently healed. He
is still living- (1849) and, in the midst
of the settlement of Currytown, which
soon arose from its ashes, and is a liv-
ing monument of savage cruelty and
the sufferings of the martyrs for
American liberty.

"Toward evening we left Currytown
for Cherry Valley, by way of Sharon
Springs. The road lay through a beau-
tiful though very hilly country. From
the summits of some of the eminences
which we passed the views were truly
magnificent. Looking down into Can-
ajoharie valley, from the top of its
eastern slope, it appeared like a vast
enameled basin, having its concavity
garnished with pictures of rolling in-
tervales, broad cultivated fields, green
groves, bright streams, villages and
neat farm houses in abundance; and
its distant rim on its northern verge
seemed beautifully embossed with
wooded hills, rising one above another
in profuse outlines far away beyond
the Mohawk. We reached the Springs
toward sunset, passing the Pavilion on
the way. The Pavilion is a very large
hotel, situated upon one of the loftiest
summits in the neighborhood, and
commanding a magnificent view of the
country. It was erected in 1836 by a
New York company and is filled with
invalids and other visitors during the
summer. The springs are in a broad
ravine, and along the margin of a hill,
and near them the little village of
Sharon has grown up. Our stay was
brief — just long enough to have a lost
shoe replaced by another upon our
horse, and to visit the famous foun-
tains— for, having none of the 'ills
which flesh is heir to' of sufficient
malignity to require the infliction of
sulphereted or chalybeate draughts, we
were glad to escape to the hills and
vales less suggestive of Tophet and
the Valley of Hinnom. How any but
invalids, who find the waters less nau-
seous than the allopathic doses of the
shops, and, consequently are happier
than at home, can spend a 'season'
there, within smelling distance of the
gaseous fountains, and call the so-
journ 'pleasure,' is a question that can

only be solved by Fashion, the shrewd
alchemist, in whose alembic common
miseries are transmuted into conven-
tional happiness. The sulphereted hy-
drogen does not infect the Pavilion, I
believe, and a summer residence there
secures enjoyment of pure air and de-
lightful drives and walks in the midst
of a lovely hill country.

"It was quite dark when we reached
Cherry Valley, eight miles west of
Sharon Springs. Cherry Valley de-
rived its name from the following cir-
cumstance: Mr. Dunlap, [the vener-
able pastor whose family suffered at
the time of the massacre of 1778], en-
gaged in writing some letters, inquired
of Mr. Lindesay [the original proprie-
tor of the soil] where he should date
them, who proposed the name of a
town in Scotland. Mr. Dunlop, point-
ing to the fine wild cherry trees and to
the valley, replied 'Let us give our
place an appropriate name and call it
Cherry Valley,' which was readily
agreed to. This village lies imbosomed
within lofty hills, open only on the
south vvest, in the direction of the Sus-
quehanna, and, as we approached it
along the margin of the mountain on
its eastern border, the lights sparkling
below us like stars reflected from a
lake, gave us the first indication of its
presence. In the course of the even-
ing we called upon the Honorable
James Campbell, who at the time of
the destruction of the settlement in
1778, was a child six years of age. He
is the son of Col. Samuel Campbell, al-
ready mentioned [colonel of the Can-
ajoharie district battalion at Oriskany]
and father of the Honorable William
W. Campbell of New York city, the
author of the 'Annals of Tryon Coun-
ty,' so frequently cited. With his
mother and family, he was carried into
captivity. He has a clear recollection
of events in the Indian country while
he was a captive, his arrival and stay
at Niagara, his subsequent sojourn in
Canada, and the final reunion of the
family after an absence and separa-
tion of two years. The children of
Mrs. Campbell were all restored to her
at Niagara, except this one. In June,
1780, she was sent to Montreal, and

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

233

there she was joined by her missing
boy. He had been with a tribe of the
Mohawks and had forgotten his own
language, but remembered his mother
and expressed his joy at seeing her, in
the Indian tongue. Honorable Wil-
liam Campbell, late surveyor general
of New York, was her son. She lived
until 1836, being then 93 years of age.
She was the last survivor of the Revo-
lutionary women in the region of the
headwaters of the Susquehanna. The
residence of Hon. James S. Campbell,
a handsome modern structure, is upon
the site of the old family mansion,
which was stockaded and used as a
fort at the time of the invasion. The
doors and window shutters were made
bullet proof, and the two barns, that
were included within the ramparts,
were strengthened. The present pleas-
ant dwelling is upon the northern
verge of the town, on the road leading
from Cherry Valley to the Mohawk
[at Port Pla'n].

"In a former chapter we have noticed
that Brant's first hostile movement af-
ter his return from Canada and estab-
lishment of his headquarters at Oghk-
wana [in 1778] was an attempt to cut
off the settlement of Cherry Valley, or
at least to make captive the members
of the active Committee of Correspon-
dence. It was a sunny morning, to-
ward the close of May [1778] when
Brant and his warriors cautiously
moved up to the brow of a lofty hill
on .the east side of the town to recon-
noitre the settlement at their feet.
He was astonished and chagrined on
seeing a fortification, where he sup-
posed all was weak and defenceless,
and greater was his disappointment
wher; quite a large and well-armed
garrison appeared upon the esplanade
in front of Col. Campbell's house.
These soldiers were not as formidable
as the sachem supposed, for they were
only half grown boys, who, full of the
martial spirit of the times, had formed
themselves into companies, and, armed
with wooden guns and swords, had
regular drills each day. It was such
display on the morning in question
that attract ed Brant's attention. His

vision being somewhat obstructed by
the trees and shrubs in which he was
concealed, he mistook the boys for full
grown soldiers and, considering an at-
tack dangerous, moved his party to a
hiding place at the foot of the Teka-
harawa Falls, in a deep ravine north
of the village, near the road leading to
the Mohawk. The Tekaharawa is the
western branch of Canajoharie or
Bowman's Creek, which falls into the
Mohawk at Canajoharie, opposite Pal-
atine. In that deep, rocky glen, 'where
the whole scene was shadowy and dark
even at mid-day,' his warriors were
concealed, while Brant and two or
three followers hid themselves in am-
bush behind a large rock by the road-
side, for the purpose of obtaining such
information as might fall in his way.

"On the morning of the day, Lieut.
Wormuth, a promising young officer
of Palatine, had been sent from Fort
Plain to Cherry Valley with the infor-
mation, for the committee at the latter
place, that a military force might be
expected there the next day. His no-
ble bearing and rich velvet dress at-
tracted a great deal of attention at the
village; and, when toward evening, he
started to return accompanied by
Peter Sitz, the bearer of some dis-
patches, the people in admiration
looked after him until he disappeared
beyond the hill. On leaving he cast
down his portmanteau, saying, 'I shall
be back for it in the morning.' But he
never returned. As the two patriots
galloped along the margin of the Tek-
aharawa Glen, they were hailed, but,
instead of answering, they put spurs to
their horses. The warriors in ambush
arose and flred a volley upon them.
The lieute^iant fell and Brant, rushing
out from his concealment, scalped him
with his own hands. Sitz was cap-
tured and his dispatches fell into the
hands of Brant. Fortunately they
were double, and Sitz had the pres-
ence of mind to destroy the genuine
and deliver the fictitious to the sa-
chem. Deceived by these dispatches
concerning the strength of Cherry
Valley, Brant withdrew to Cobleskill
and thence to Oghkawaga, and the set-

234

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tlement was saved from destruction at
that time. Its subsequent fate is re-
corded in a previous chapter.

"Judge Campbell kindly offered to
accomparty us in the morning to
'Brant's rock.' This rock which is
abovit four feet high, lies in a field on
the left of the road leading from
Cherry Valley to the Mohawk, about a
mile and a half north of the residence
of Judge Campbell. It is a fossiliferous
mass, composed chiefly of shells. Be-
hind this rock, the body of Lieut. Wor-'
muth, lifeless and the head scalped,
was found by the villagers, who heard
the firing on the previous evening.
Judge Campbell pointed out the stump
of a large tree by the roadside, as the
place where Lieutenant Wormuth fell.
The tree was pierced by many bul-
lets, and Judge Campbell had extracted
several of them when a boy.

"Having engaged to be back at Fort
Plain in time next day to catch the
cars for Albany at 2 o'clock, and the
distance from the 'rock' being twelve
miles over a rough and hilly road, an
early start was necessary, for I wished
to make a sketch of the village and
valley, as also of the rock.

"At early dawn, the light not
being sufficient to perceive the
outline of distant objects, I stood
upon the high ridge north of the vil-
lage, which divides the headwaters of
the eastern branch of the Susque-.
hanna from the tributaries of the Mo-
hawk. As the pale light in the east
grew . ruddj% a magnificent panorama
was revealed on every side. As the
stars faded away, trees and fields, and
hills and the quiet village arose from
the gloom. The sun's first rays burst
over the eastern hills into the valley,
lighting it up with sudden splendor,
while the swelling chorus of birds and
the hum of insects broke the stillness;
and the perfumes of flowers arose from
the dewy grass like sweet incense.

"On the north the valley of the Cana-
joharie stretches away to the Mohawk
twelve miles distant, whose course was
the mountain toward the Susquehanna
marked by a white line of mist that
skirted the more remote hills; and on
the south Cherry Valley extends down

proper, and formed the easy warpath
to the settlement at its head from
Oghkwaga and Unadilla. From the
bosom of the ridge whereon I stood,
spring the headwaters of the eastern
branch of Susquehanna and those of
Canajoharie. I had finished the sketch
here given [in the Field Book] before
the sun was fairly above the treetops
and, while the mist yet hovered over
the Tekaharawa we were at Brant's
rock, within the sound of the tiny cas-
cades. There we parted from Judge
Campbell and hastened on toward Fort
Plain, where we arrived in time to
breakfast and to take the morning
train for Albany."

CHAPTER III.

1861-1865 — Montgomery and Fulton
County Men in the Civil War — 115th,
153d and Other Regiments and
Companies With Montgomery and
Fulton County Representation — 1912,
115th and 153d Celebrate 50th Anni-
versary of Mustering in at Fonda.

The part the men ot Montgomery
and Fulton counties played in the
great and lamentable war of the re-
bellion was one of honor and the rec-
ord of those men who went to the
front from the valley deserves a full
and complete narrative which the
present work will not allow. It is to
be hoped that the soldiers of '61-'65 of
Montgomery and Fulton will some day
have their story told at length in a
suitable publication. Their deeds de-
serve such a narrative and it should
be written now while the veterans of
that terrible struggle are still with us
and can supply that personal note in
such a story which is so essential to
such a tale.

Included in this suggested record
should be noble work the union women
of America performed in the service of
their country during the Rebellion.
The women of Montgomery and Fulton
counties were well to the forefront in
this regard, not only making supplies
and clothing for the union soldiers and
hospital supplies, but serving, at the
front and elsewhere, as nurses, ex-
posed to danger and disease. The part

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

235

these noble women played should be
included in every comprehensive
chronicle of the Civil war.

From Montgomery and Fulton coun-
ties 1930 men are known to have gone
into the Union armies. These are the
soldiers whose names are given in the
works mentioned. There were prob-
ably others from these counties who
engaged in the service of their coun-
try but of whose county address no
record was made. It is probable that the
quota of the two counties was fully
2,000 fighters in the federal forces —
undoubtedly the figure was greatly in
excess of this. Montgomery county
was represented in twenty Civil war
organizations. Montgomery and Ful-
ton counties furnished over fifty men
to each of nine regiments.

For a somewhat detailed account of
Montgomery and Fulton Civil war his-
tory the reader is referred to Beers's
History of Montgomery and Fulton
Counties (1878), under the headings
"Montgomery County in the Civil War
— History of the 115th New York Vol-
unteer Infantry;" History of Mont-
gomery County, Chap. XXV; and
"Fulton County's Record in the War
for the Union, History of the 153d
New York Volunteers," History of
Fulton County, Chap. Ill; also to
"History of Montgomery County"
(Mason, 1892) edited by Washington
Frothingham, under the heading
"Montgomery County during the Re-
bellion" (Chap. XV.). Beers's History
gives the known names of the Civil
war soldiers who went to the front
from the two counties and their home
addresses when known. Mason's has
a similar list.

The Civil war history of Montgom-
ery is very closely associated with that
of Fulton county. Two regiments of
New York volunteer infantry were
largely raised in these two counties —
the 115th and 153d. In the 115th, 583
men came from the two counties com-
bined and, in the 153d. 598 soldiers rep-
resented Montgomery and Fulton
counties. Following is a list of the
Civil war organizations in which these
two divisions (comprising old Mont-
gomery county) were principally rep-

resented, together with the number of
men from each and their combined
totals for the two counties:

115th N. Y. Vols., Montgomery, 421;
Fulton, 162. Total, 583.

153d N. Y. Vols., Montgomery, 329;
Fulton, 269. Total, 598.

13th Regiment Artillery, Montgom-
ery, 33; Fulton, 71. Total, 104.

16th Regiment Artillery, Montgom-
ery, 36; Fulton, 8. Total, 44.

2d Regular Cavalry, Montgomery, 6;
Fulton, 31. Total, 37.

Other Civil war military organiza-
tions receiving recruits from Mont-
gomery were as follows, together with
the number of men enlisted from the
county: Co. K, 1st Artillery ("Fort
Plain Battery"), 65; Co. E, 43d in-
fantry, 69; Cos. B and D, 32d regiment,
130.

Commands other than the above to
which Fulton contributed, with the
number of recruits from that county,
follow: 77th Infantry, 101; Co. I, 10th
Cavalry, 92; 97th N. Y. volunteers, 53;
Co. D, 93d regiment, 51.

The known men enlisted in all union
Civil war commands from Montgomery
county came from the towns of Mont-
gomery county in the following pro-
portion: Amsterdam, 115; Canajo-
harie, 93; Charleston, 34; Florida, 66;
Glen, 101; Minden, 103; Mohawk, 122;
Palatine, 75; Root, 42; St. Johnsville,
72. This list gives the addresses of
oniy 810 of the 1,095 men known to
have gone to the Civil war from Mont-
gomery county. Hence it does not
pretend to show the total number
from each town.

Of the 810 soldiers whose town ad-
dresses are given in Beers's (1878) and
Mason's (1892) histories, as coming
from Montgomery county, 365 came
from the five western towns and 445
from the five eastern towns. This is
in no way an attempt to give an esti-
mate of the number of union soldiers
of Fulton and Montgomery counties
and only recapitulates the figures
given in Beers's and Mason's histories.
The staff ofRcers of the 115th regi-
ment were as follows: Colonel, Sim-
eon Sammons, Mohawk; Lieut. Col., E.
I. Walrath, Syracuse; Lieut. Col., Geo.

236

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

S. Batcheller, Saratoga; N. J. John-
son, Ballston (commancled regiment in
May, 1864); major, Patrick H. Cowan,
Saratoga; surgeon, C. McFarland;
surgeon, R. E. Sutton, Saratoga; as-
sistant surgeon, Samuel W. Peters;
2d assistant surgeon, Pliram W. In-
gerson, Fonda; adjutant, Thomas R.
Horton, Fultonville; quartermaster,
Martin McMartin, Johnstown; chap-
lain, S. W. Clemens; captains, Co. A,
Garret Van Deveer, Fonda; Co. B, John
P. Kneeskern, Minden; Co. D, Sidney

D. Lingenfelter, Amsterdam; Co. E,
William H. Shaw, Mayfield; Co. I, Ezra

E. Walrath, Syracuse; Co. K, William
Smith, Amsterdam.

The staff officers of the 153d
New York volunteer regiment were
as follows (no addresses are given
in Beers's) : Colonel, Duncan Mc-
Martin, resigned April 25, 1863;
colonel, Edwin P. Davis, muster-
ed out with regiment, Oct. 2, 1865;
Lieut. Col., Thomas A. Armstrong, re-
signed, Feb. 18, 1863; Lieut. Col., W.
H. Printup, resigned Nov. 17, 1863;
Lieut. Col., Alexander Stram, discharg-
ed Jan. 4, 1865; major, Edwin P. Davis,
promoted to colonel Mar. 26, 1863;
major, Alexander; Strain, promoted to
Lieut. Col., Dec. 1, 1863; major,
Stephen Sammons, resigned Aug. 27,
1864; major, George H. McLaughlin,
promoted to Lieut. Col., Jan. 26, 1865;
major, C. F. Putnam, died. Sa-
vannah, Ga., Sept. 9. 1865; adjutant,
Stephen Sammons, promoted to major
Dec. 2, 1863; adjutant, Abram V. Davis,
mustered out with regiment Oct. 2,
1865; quartermaster, D. C. Livingston,
resigned Aug. 22, 1863; quartermaster,
John D. Blanchard, mustered out with
regiment; surgeon, H. S. Hendee, re-
signed Feb. 8, 1864; assistant surgeon,
J. L. Alexander, resigned Aug. 19, 1863;
assistant surgeon, N. L. Snow, pro-
moted to surgeon Apr. 14, 1864; assist-
ant surgeon, J. Sweeney, mustered out
with regiment; chaplain. J. Henry
Enders, mustered out with regiment;
captains: Co. A, David Spaulding,
Johnstown; Co. B, Robert R. Mere-
dith, Mohawk; Co. C, W. H. Printup;
Co. D, J. J. Buchanan; Co. E, Jacob C.
Klock, Fonda; Co. F, Isaac S. Van

Woerts, Fonda; Co. G, George H. Mc-
Laughlin, Fonda.

Company K, 1st Artillery. Enrolled
at Fort Plain. Officers: Captain,
Lorenzo Crounse; 1st lieutenant, S.
Walter Stocking; 2d lieutenant, Angell
Matthewson; 1st sergeant, George W.
Fox; quartermaster sergeant, William
J. Canfield; sergeant, Mosher Marion;
1st corporal, Phelps Conover; 3d cor-
poral, Aden G. Voorhees; 4th corporal,
Gottlieb Ludwig; 6th corporaK William
E. Smith; 7tli corporal, Horatio Fox;
8th corporal, Henry Tabor; bugler,
George W. Beardsley; artificer. Clark
Burtiss; wagoner, Martin Sitts.

Company E, 43d Infantry. Enrolled
at Canajoharie: Captain, Jacob Wil-
son; 1st lieutenant, Hiram A. Wins-
low; 2d sergeant, Thomas Avery; 3d
sergeant, Frank Shurburt; 4th ser-
geant, J. W. Hagadorn; 5th sergeant,
Jackson Davis; 1st corporal, John D.
Dain; 2d corporal, William F. Ward;
3d corporals Cornelius Van Alstyne;
5th corporal, Christopher Richards;
6th corporal, Martin O'Brien; music-
ians, Charles Marcy, William Flint.

Officers Co. F, 97th Regiment, N. Y.
Vols.: Captain, Stephen G. Hutchin-
son, Lassellsville; 1st lieutenant, E.
Gray Spencer, Brocketts Bridge; cor-
poral, Olaf Peterson, Lassellsville;
corporal, Augustus Johnson, Brocketts
Bridge; corporal, Wallace McLaugh-
lin, Lassellsville; corporal, Henry
Fical, Lassellisville; corporal, William
B. Judd, Brocketts Bridge; musician,
Henry F. Butler, Lassellsville; mu-
sician, George F. Dempster, Lassells-
ville.

Co. I, 10th Cavalry, was recruited
principally from Mayfield and Broad-
alibin, in Fulton Co. David Getman,
Mayfield, was captain and Stephen
Dennie was 1st lieutenant and Charles
H. Hill, 2d lieutenant.

Co. K, 77th N. Y. Infantry, was re-
cruited almost exclusively from Glov-
ersville. Captain, Nathan S. Babcock;
1st lieutenant, John W. McGregor; 2d
lieutenant, Philander A. Cobb.

Co. D, 93d Regiment Infantry was
recruited Largely from Northampton,
Fulton county. Captain, George M.
Voorhees; 1st lieutenant, Henry P.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

237

Smith; 2d lieutenant, Philemon B.
Marvin, all of Northampton.

A goodly proportion of Co. F, 2d
Regiment Cavalry, came from May-
field, Fulton county. Captain, W. H.
Shaw; 1st lieutenant, D. Getman; 2d
lieutenant, J. L.. Haines, all of May-
field.

The following, from Beers's (1878)
History of Montgomery and Fulton
Counties, gives a sketch of the 115th
New York Volunteer Regiment: 583
men from Fulton and Montgomery
county were enrolled in the 115th:

In writing the history of the 115th
N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, we record
the* acts of a noble body of men, whose
deeds are already written in blood and
inscribed high up in the roll of Fame.
This regiment was raised in the coun-
ties of Saratoga, Montgomery, Fulton
and Hamilton, and mustered into the
United States service on the 26th day
of August, 1862, by Capt. Edgerton, U.
S. A., at Fonda, the place of rendez-
vous of the regiment.

With ten hundred and forty en-
listed men, the regiment broke camp
at Fonda on the 29th day of August,
1862, and was forwarded to the seat of
war as soon as possible, arriving at
Sandy Hook, Md., on the Baltimore
and Ohio R.R., on the 1st of Sept.,
where the regiment was furnished
with arms, but very little ammunition.
It then moved to Harper's Ferry, Va.,
where it was assigned to guard duty
along the Shenandoah Valley R.R.,
with headquarters at Charlestown, Va.

The regiment performed guard duty
faithfully, until a few days before the
surrender of Harper's Ferry, when it
and others were ordered to concen-
trate at that place. On the way to the
Ferry James English, a member of
Co. D, was wounded in the hand, by
the accidental discharge of a musket,
necessitating amputation at the wrist;
he was the first man wounded in the
regiment. On arriving at, or near
Harper's Ferry, the regiment was en-
camped on Bolivar Heights, in the
rear of the vilJage. From this point it
performed picket duty, and while so
engaged, John Hubbard, of Co. A, was
wounded by a guerilla. On the 12th,
Companies E and A were ordered to
report to Col. Tom Ford, in command
of Maryland Heights, and upon doing
so, were ordered to proceed up the
Potomac, to the old "John Brown"
school-house, and form a skirmish line
from the river as far up the moun-
tain as possible, the left resting on the
river. ^

Early the next morning the two

companies were ordered back to Ford's
headquarters, and from there to Elk
Ridge, at the Lookout, on the highest
peak of the mountain. Here for the
first time members of the 115th regi-
ment met the enemy in deadly combat.
After several hours fighting, and hold-
ing their position, the two companies
were ordered to evacuate the place,
and report to Gen. Miles' headquarters,
which they did very reluctantly, and
not until they had received the third
order. Company E had one man
wounded. About this tiine Company
K moved up, and in a few minutes its
captain was carried to the reai-, having
been wounded in the thigh by a minie-
ball. Upon nearing the foot of the
mountain, at what was known as
Maryland Heights, Companies E and
A met the remainder of the regiment,
who congratulated them upon their
safe return.

The regiment returned to camp on
Bolivar Heights. The troops were
kept moving to and fro until the morn-
ing of the 15th, when General Miles
made one of the most cowardly and
disgraceful surrenders recorded in the
annals of American history. Eleven
thousand men, armed and equipped in
the best style, with plenty of ammuni-
tion, holding one of the most defensi-
ble positions in the United States, were
ignominiously surrendered, instead of
aiding to surround Lee's, Longstreefs,
Hill's and Jackson's corps where there
was no possible way of escape. Thus
the Union army was reduced, and
eleven thousand as good fighting men
as ever shouldered a musket were
doomed to bear the taunts of their
enemies, at home and abroad, as "Har-
per's Ferry cowards." But every regi-
ment that was obliged to participate
in that farce, and whose honor was
sold by the commanding officer, has,
upon bloody fields, won bright laurels,
and vindicated its soldierly character.
By the good graces of the rebel gen-
erals, who had the captured army as
an "elephant on their hands," the pris-
oners were paroled the next day, and
allowed to depart in peace, which they
did with sorrowing hearts.

The regiment returned to Annapolis,
Maryland, and thence went to Chi-
cago, where it went into camp on the
Cook county fair ground, which was
called "Camp Tyler," after the general
in command of the troops around the
city. During the stay of the 115th in
Chicago its duties were about the same
as those of troops in garrison, but the
men were allowed rather more liber-
ties than regular soldiers on duty.
While at Chicago, the weather being
very bad most of the time, and the
men not on fatigue duty enough to
give them healthy exercise, malarial
fever caused the death of quite a num-
ber.

238

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

About the 20th of November, 1862,
the regiment was ordered to proceed
to Washington. The capital was
reached about the 23d, and at the same
time the soldiers of the 115th were ex-
changed and marched over to Arling-
ton Heights. There they were suppos-
ed to go into winter quarters, but by
the time quarters were built the regi-
ment was ordered out again, and kept
in motion between Arlington, Fairfax,
Hunter's creek, Alexandria and York-
town, where it embarked on the
steamer "Matanzas," January 23d,
1863, and arrived at Hilton Head, S.
C, Department of the South, about the
26th of January.

Here the regiment was divided into
detachments for post, camp and out-
post duty. Companies E and D were
detailed to garrison Battery Mitchell,
an outpost on Scull creek. Company
B was stationed at Saybrook, and
other companies at different points on
and around Hilton Head Island, until
the 28th of May, when the different
detachments were relieved and the
regiment was again a unit at Hilton
Head. On the 2d of June, Companies
E and B were, by order of General
Chatfield, detailed for special field
duty, and went with other troops up
May river, S. C, and burned the town
of Bluffton. About the 27th of June
the regiment was moved to the city
of Beaufort, S. C, some twelve miles
up Beaufort river, where it went into
camp. After remaining here a while
and suffering severely from malaria,
incident to the dull routine life of the
camp, the regiment was again divided
into detachments and sent to do out-
post and picket duty on Beaufort, Port
Royal and other islands adjacent . to
them.

On the 20th of December the regi-
ment embarked on transports for the
old camp at Hilton Head, where it was
attached to Gen. T. Seymour's "ill-
starred" Florida expedition. The force
left Hilton Head on the 5th of Feb-
ruary, 1864, reached Jacksonville on
the evening of the 7th, and occupied
the city without opposition. During
the night of the 8th the expedition
reached Camp Finnegan, about twelve
miles from Jacksonville, capturing a
battery of six guns, a quantity of
small arms, etc., and a large amount
of provisions, upon which the boys
feasted until next day, when, with well
filled haversacks, they moved toward
Tallahassee, reaching and occupying
Baldwin without opposition, and
reaching Barber's Plantation during
the night. The next day the troops
advanced to Sanderson's Station,
where they burned the railroad depot
filled with corn, and several resin and
turpentine manufactories, and tore up
considerable railroad track, burning
ties and other property belonging to

the rebels. By order of Gen. Seymour,
the army fell back to Barber's Plan-
tation and remained there until the
19th.

During this time the 115th, a part of
the 4th Massachusetts cavalry and a
section of the 3d R. I. F.ying Artillery
were ordered to proceed to Callahan, a
station on the Fernandina and Cedar
Keys railroad, and capture whatever
they might find, which was one pony,
seven bushels of sweet potatoes, and
one or two Florida hogs, of the kind
that need to have knots tied in their
tails to prevent their getting through
cracks. Returning to camp, v/eary.
footsore and hungry, the boys of the
115th were allowed to rest about one
day, when the whole command broke
camp earjy on the morning of the 20th,
for the disastrous field of Olustee,
known by the rebels as Ocean Pond.

Upon arriving on the field the order
of battle was formed, with the 115th
on the extreme right of the infantry
line, and the troops ordered to move
forward, which they did with a steadi-
ness that showed the 15,000 rebels that
they had work to do. Upon arriving
on a rise of ground between where the
line was formed and the rebel position,
the advancing force received a mur-
derous fire, at which the colored troops
on the extreme left broke very badly.
The white troops upon the left began
to double up on the 115th, but order
was soon restored. About this time
the rebels made a charge upon the
Union right, which was repulsed by
the 115th, who sent the enemy back
over their works with heavy loss. The
combat continued to rage with fury
until the supply of ammunition on
both sides gave out, and, night coming
on, both parties were willing to call it
a drawn battle; hut Gen. Seymour, by
ordering a retreat, gave the rebels to
understand that he abandoned the con-
test. Upon this occasion Gen. Sey-
mour took occasion to publicly compli-
ment the 115th, giving it the honor and
praise of saving his little army from
total annihilation, and naming it the
"Iron-hearted Regiment." The regi-
ment lost over one-half its number in
killed, wounded and missing. Col.
Sammons was wounded in the foot at
the commencement of the battle. Capt.
Vanderveer was mortally wounded,
and died in a few days. Lieuts. Tomp-
kins and Shaffer were killed, besides
many of the best non-commissioned
officers and men.

On leaving Olustee the expedition
retraced its steps toward Jacksonville,
where the 115th did picket and camp
duty until February 9th, when the
force embarked on transports for Pa-
latka. Fla., about one hundred miles
up the St. John's river from Jackson-
ville. Here the trooiis rested, and
nothing of interest transpired. On the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

239

14th of April they again embarlied on
transports for Hilton Head, S. C, mail-
ing a few hours' stop at Jacksonville,
and arriving at their destination on the
evening of the 16th. On the 18th the
regiment sailed for Gloucester Point,
Va., reaching that place on the 21st,
and was attached to the 10th army
corps. On May 4th it was attached to
the Army of the James, under Gen. B.
F. Butler. The army moved up the
James river to Bermuda Hundred, and
on the 7th of May the 115th partici-
patted and suffered severely in the ill-
fated battle of Chesterfield Heights.
Va., losing about eighty in . killed,
wounded and missing. From this time
to the 16th of May the regiment was
marching, fighting, picketing, etc. On
the morning of that day the disastrous
battle of Drury's Bluff was fought, and
the 115th regiment again brought, into
requisition under the immediate su-
pervision of Gen. Adelbert Ames, who
complimented it for its bravery and
skilful movements, which saved But-
ler's army from total rout.

On the 17th the regiment went into
camp at Hatcher's Run. From this
time it was on picket duty all the time
to the 28th, when it marched to City
Point, and embarked on board the
steamer "De Molay," for White House,
Va., landing there on the 31st, at 4 p.
m. The 115th took up the line of march
for Cold Harbor, Va., reaching that
place June 1st, at 3.30 p. m., and im-
mediately, with the rest of the brigade,
charged the enemy's works, this regi-
ment capturing two hundred and fifty
men with their arms and equipments.
Here the regiment was again compli-
mented for bravery by Gen. Devens.

From that time to the 12th, the regi-
ment was under a continuous fire day
and night. During the night of the
12th it marched for White House
Landing, which place was reached at 6
a. m., of the 13th. Next day the regi-
ment embarked for City Point, landed
at Powhattan, on the James, and
marched the rest of the way. On the
23d it moved up in front of Peters-
burgh, Va. From this time the regi-
ment was in the trenches before Pet-
ersburgh, to July 29th, when Gen.- Tur-
ner's division, to which the 115th was
attached, moved to the left, to assist
Burnside's ninth corps in the explosion
of the mine, and charge upon the
enemy's works. This occurred at 5
o'clock, on the morning of the 30th of
July. Here, again, the 115th displayed
its courage and cool bravery by stand-
ing as a wall of fire between the ad-
vancing Rebels, and the partially de-
moralized 9th corps, and was again
complimented by both Gens. Burnside
and Turner.

From Petersburgh the regiment
marched to near City Point, and then
to Bermuda Hundred, losing several

men by sun stroke, as the weather was
extremely hot, and the roads dry and
dusty. Up to this time the regiment
had been under fire for thirty-seven
days, and needed rest, which was had
at Hatch's farm, until, on the evening
of the 13th of August, the regiment
broke camp and marched to Deep Bot-
tom, on the north side of the James
river, which was reached at 7 o'clock a.
m., on the 14th. That day and the
next were occupied in marching and
countermarching. On the 16th the
enemy were found strongly posted at
Charles City Court House, where fight-
ing began at once and continued until
the evening of the 18th, when the 115th
was deployed and covered the retreat
of the Union forces. In this affair the
regiment lost eighty-four killed,
wounded and missing.

On the 20th it returned to the old
camp at Bermuda, with only one hun-
dred and twenty men fit for duty.
Comparative rest was the happy lot of
the decimated regiment until the 28th,
when it marched to Petersburgh again
and occupied the trenches in front of
that city. The regiment had a little
rest, doing only trench and camp duty
until the 28th of September, when it
broke camp and marched to the north
side of the James. On the 29th the
115th participated in the capture of
two redoubts on Chaffln's farm, known
by some as Spring Hill. Here the
losses of the regiment were very se-
vere, among the dead being the loved
and lamented Capt. W. H. McKit-
trick, of Co. C. During this engage-
ment in charges, countercharges, vic-
tories and repulses, the enemy lost
three times the number that the 115th
did.

From this time to October 27th, the
regiment was doing picket duty most
of the time. On that day a reconnois-
sance was made in force on the Dar-
bytown road, in front of Richmond,
the 115th taking a prominent part in
charging the rebel works, and losing
quite heavily. Among the number
killed was Sergeant Ide of Company F,
the idol of his comrades. Returning to
camp, the regiment had five days com-
parative rest. On the 8th of December,
the ■ 115th embarked on the propellor
"Haze," and participated in the abor-
tive attempt to capture Fort Fisher,
N. C. In the afternoon of December
30th, the regiment debarked at Jones'
Landing, on the James river, Va., and
just after dark was again in the old
camp on Chafin's farm.

On January 4th, 1865, the 115th again
embarked on board the propellor "De
Molay," on its second expedition
against the keystone of the confeder-
acy. The who'e force was under com-
mand of Gen. Alfred H. Terry. The
troops landed at Flay Pond battery, a
short distance north of Fort Fisher, on

240

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the 13th at 9 a. m. The 115th lost but
two or three men in landing. At 3 p.
m. of the 15tli, the grand charge was
made upon the fort, the 115th bearing
a noble part in its capture, and being
again complimented by General Terry,
also by Gen. Ames, who knew some-
thing of its fighting qualities while in
the army of the James. The loss to
the regiment was about 70, and among
the killed was Lieut. S. S. Olney, of
Co. F, whose loss to the regiment and
company could not be made good. At
about 8 o'clock, on the morning of the
16th, one of the magazines of the fort
exploded, ki'ling and wounding more
of this regiment than the fighting of
the day before.

Prom this time to the surrender of
Johnson's rebel army, the 115th was
continually employed in fighting,
marching, picket and guard duty, until
it reached Raleigh, N. C, where it was
assigned to "safe guard" duty in the
city, from April 23d to June 17th, when
it was mustered out of service. On the
19th, the regiment left Raleigh for Al-
bany, N. Y., where it was paid off by
Paymaster C. F. Davis., on the 6th of
July, 1865, there being something less
than two hundred of the original mem-
bers. Upon leaving the U. S. service,
the men quietly returned to their
homes and former vocations, and to-
day the old 115th N. Y. Volunteer In-
fantry is represented in nearly every
state in the Union, and almost every
calling in life. However humble or ex-
alted they may now be, if you speak
of the camp, the bivouac, the fatigue,
the march, the picket, the fight, and
the camp fires of years gone by, their
eyes will kindle, and at the fireside
they fight their battles o'er and o'er,
until one could almost hear the roar of
musketry, and the bursting of shells.
But we must stop, for we can add
nothing to the laurels already wreath-
ed around the brow of one of the best
of our country's defenders, the 115th
Regiment, New York Volunteer In-
fantry. It only remains to add the
following list of battles which were
participated in l.iy the regiment, or a
part of it:

Maryland Heights, Sept. 13, 1862.
Bolivar Heights, Va., Sept. 15, 1862.
West Point, Va., Jan. 8, 1863.
Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 7, 1864.
Camp Finegan, Fla., Feb. 8, 1864.
Baldwin, Fla.. Feb. 9, 1864.
Sanderson, Fla., Feb. 11, 1864.
Callahan Station, Fla.. Feb. 14, 1864.
Olustee, Fla,, Feb. 20, 1864.
Palatka, Fla., March 10, 1864.
Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 5, 1864.
Chesterfie'd Heights, Va.. May 7, 1864.
Old Church, Va., May 9, 1864.
Weir Bottom Church, Va., May 12,
1864.

Drury's Bluff, Va., May 14, 1864.

Proctor's Creek and Port Walthall,
Va., May 16, 1864.

Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864.

Chickahominy, Va., June, 1864.

Petersburgh, Va., June 23, 1864.

Burnside Mine, Va., July 30, 1864.
• Deep Bottom, Va., Aug. 16-18. 1864.

Fort Gilmer, Va., Sept. 29, 1864.

Darbytown Road, Va., Oct. 27, 1864.

Fort Fisher, N. C, Dec. 25, 1864.

Fort Fisher, N. C, Jan. 15, 1865.

Fort Anderson, N. C, Feb. 19, 1865.

Sugar Loaf Battery, N. C, Feb. 20,
1865.

Wilmington, N. C, Feb. 22, 1865.

The'-115th brought out of the war six
flags, which Col. Sammons, in behalf
of the regiment, presented to the state.
The national ensign, a gift of the
ladies of the XVth Senatorial district,
Aug. 20, 1862, showed service, the staff
and three- fifths of the flag being gon^.
The regimental banner, presented by
the state authorities while the regi-
ment was at Fonda, of silk, with eagle
and shield in the center, the national
motto in a scroll beneath, and thirtj'^-
four stars in the field above, b.earing
the inscription "llSth N. Y. Vo^. Regi-
ment Infantry," came out rent in the
center and torn from side to side. A
second and similar regimental banner
survived in better condition, and with
it was a new national flag inscribed
with the names of the regiment's bat-
t'es; also two guidons of bunting.
These flags were turned over to the
adjutant general. They are represent-
ed by Lieut. Col. N. J. Johnson, and
are carried by Sergt. James English,
who lost an arm while supporting
them in the field.

Beers's History has the following
regarding the 153d New York Volun-
teers. 598 Montgomery and Fulton
county men were enlisted in the 153d,
the largest number from these twin
counties in any Civil war organization:

The 153d Regt. N. Y. State Vo!s. was
raised in 1S62 under the second call of
President Lincoln, for 300,000 men.
Seven of its companies were from the
counties of Fulton, Montgomery and
Saratoga, the other three from Clin-
ton, Essex and Warren. The regi-
ment was mustered into service at
Fonda, Oct. 18th, 1862, and left for
Virginia the same day. On arriving at
Washington, Oct. 22d, it was at once
ordered to Alexandria, Va., and there
encamped. While here the regiment
attained a high degree of discipline
through the efficient attention of Col.
McMartin and his officers. The men,
however, suffered considerably from
typhoid pneumonia, measles and small-
pox. Col. McMartin was at length com-
pelled to resign through an accident

WUrih'l'^li.i .

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

241

and failing liealtli. By liis generous
and impartial conduct he had won the
hearts of his officers and men, and
they bade him adieu with deep regret.
Col. Armstrong also resigned, and Maj.
E. P. Davis was promoted to the
colonelcy of the regiment.

At that time Alexandria was a vast
depot of military stores. Its fortifica-
tions were considered of but little
avail if the enemy should make a sud-
den dash upon the town under cover
of night. The troops were often
aroused from their slumbers and form-
ed in line of battle, across the different
roads leading to the city, remaining
under arms till dawn, to repel any at-
tack. For fourteen consecutive nights
this regiment lay behind temporary
barriers of quartermasters' wagons, in
the open. air, expecting the enemy.

On the 20th of July, 1863, the regi-
ment was ordered to Capital Hill bar-
racks, Washington. Its duty here was
guarding the depot of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, examining travel-
ers' passes, patrolling the city, con-
voying troops to the front, and pris-
oners to Point Lookout, and guarding
Contraband Camp, Central Guard-
house, Carroll and Old Capital Prisons.
Surgeon Hendee and Quartermaster
Livingston resigned while here, and
Dr. Snow, 1st assistant, became sur-
geon.

On the 20th of February, 1864, the
regiment embarked on the steamer
Mississippi for New Orleans, where it
arrived February 28th, landing at Al-
giers, opposite that city, and occupying
the Belleville Iron Works. Thence it
proceeded by rail, March 3d, to
Brashaer, 80 miles distant. Crossing
Grand Lake at Bashaer, the troops
marched up the beautiful valley of the
bayou Teche. On the 5th, they ar-
rived at Franklin, and reporting to
Gen. Franklin, were assigned to the 1st
brigade, 1st division, 19th army corps.
On the 15th they were again on the
move toward Alexandria, on the Red
river, arriving there March 24th, where
they found Gen. Banks awaiting
them. On their way thither Joseph
Hawkins, of Co. K, died of exhaustion.

On the 28th of March they left Alex-
andria for Shreveport, 170 iniles dis-
tant, which was in possession of the
enemy. Gen. Lee led the cavalry di-
vision, the 13th corps followed, then
the 1st division of the 19th corps, next
the 13th and 19th corps trains with ten
days rations. The 1st brigade of the
19th army corps, to which the regiment
was assigned, was commanded by Gen.
Dwight, and consisted of the 29th,
114th, 116th and 153d N. Y. regiments.
The country now supplied the entire
army with beef, vast numbers of cattle
being secured daily. After a march of
36 miles the army came to Pleasant

Hill, and halted for the train to coine
up.

On the Sth of April, the 153d regi-
ment was detailed to guard the divi-
sion train, and consequently, in rear
of the army. On that day the cavalry
and 13th corps, being in advance, were
met by the enemy at Sabine Cross
Roads, and being overpowered by su-
perior numbers, fell back in confu-
sion. Gen. Emery, apprised of the dis-
aster in front, drew up his (1st) divi-
sion at Pleasant Grove, three miles
below- Sabine Cross Roads. The rebels,
pressing the retreating forces, at
length charged upon Emery with great
impetuosity. For an hour and a half
he gallantly resisted their repeated on-
sets, until darkness put an end to the
conflict. The Union troops continued
on the battlefield until midnight, when
they were ordered back to Pieasant
Hill, this regiment covering their re-
treat. The next morning the enemy,
having discovered their retreat, fol-
lowed them to Pieasant Hill. Our
troops took position to resist the on-
set. At length the enemy drove in
their skirmish line and made an at-
tack in force on their left. Five times
they charged on the 1st brigade, and
were as often driven back. This was
the first battle in which this regiment
had taken part. In his report of it.
Col. Davis says: "My men behaved
nobly, and I attach much credit to the
noble manner in which my line officers
acted. Lieut. Col. Strain, Maj. Sam-
mons and Adjut. Davis rendered me
valuable assistance in keeping my line
together and maintaining my position."
For three hours the conflict raged,
when, night coming on, the work of
death ended. Our troops lay on their
arms in line of battle all night, but
the enemy, taking advantage of the
darkness, had removed. On account of
the scarcity of water and rations the
army began to retreat, April 10, to-
ward Grand Ecore, a small town on a
bluff of the Red river. This place was
reached the following day.

Gen. Dwight now became chief of
staff to Gen. Banks, and Col. Beal, of
the 29th Maine, was assigned to the
1st brigade. April 23d the army left
Grand Score. As it moved out the
town was fired. This was said to be
the work of a rebel, and done to ap-
prise the enemjr of the army's depart-
ure. After a forced march of 40 miles,
the force went into camp, at mid-
night, near Cloutierville, but at 4
o'clock the next morning was again on
the way to Cane River Crossing. This
place was in possession of the rebel
general Bee, with 4,000 men, who were
fortifying Monet's Bluff, which com-
mands it. At this point the situation
of the army was indeed critical. The
enemy was closely pursuing them in
the rear; Gen. Bee, strongly fortified,

242

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

was in front; Cane river on the right,
and a dense swamp and forest on tlie
left. The 1st brigade was thrown for-
ward into a wood, which tlie enemy
began to shell; as they fired too high,
however, they did but little injury. At
length our forces made a simultaneous
attack. The enemy replied with great
vigor to our batteries, but Birge car-
ried the Bluff and forced them to re-
treat. Our troops now being ordered
to cross the river, the 2d Vet. Cavalry,
the 116th and 153d pressed forward
and wfere among the first to occupy the
heights.

The Union troops continued their re-
treat toward Alexandria, the base of
supplies, which place they reached on
the 25th of April, and encamped near
our gunboats and transports. Here
they remained until the 13th of May,
when they again took up their march,
now toward the Mississippi, the fleet
leaving at the same time. As the
troops left Alexandria a fire broke out
in such a way as to make it impossible
to prevent a general conflagration.
There was some skirmishing by the
troops on this march, and once they
met the enemy in force. It was on
this route that the Battle of Mansura
occurred, but it was fought principally
with artillery on the Union side.

On the 17th of May the army reach-
ed the Atchafalaya river near Sims-
port, where the transports were found
awaiting it. The river, 600 feet wide
at this point, was bridged with 19
transports fastened together, and on
the 19th the troops and trains passed
over. On the 22d they reached Mar-
ganzia Bend on the Mississippi. Here
the 153d suffered much through sick-
ness and death. On the 1st of July
the 153d and 114th regiments took the
steamer Crescent for New Orleans,
where they arrived on the 2d, and the
following day moved down the river
under sealed orders. They soon learn-
ed they were destined for Fortress
Monroe. Arriving there, they were at
once ordered to report in Washing-
ton, which they reached July 11th,
1864. The 153d took position in the
rifle pits beyond Fort Saratoga. At
this time Gen. Ear'y was foraging in
Maryland, menacing Washington, and
causing our troops considerable un-
easiness.

This regiment, with the 6th and 19th
corps,' under command of Gen. Wright,
were at length sent, with other troops,
in pursuit of Early. After moving
from place to place for several days,
they at length settled temporarily at
Harper's Ferry, August 5th. On the
7th of August Gen. Sheridan was
placed in command of the "Middle De-
partment," composed of the late de-
partments of West Virginia, Wash-
ington and Susquehanna. On the 10th
of August, 1864, the army began its

march up the Shenandoah Valley,
passing from town to town, and occa-
sionally making short stops. While
camping at Charlestown, Cadman, of
Company A, and Charles Thornton, of
Company H, of the 153d regiment,
while making some purchases for the
mess at a farm house near by, were
captured by guerillas. In the melee
the latter was killed; the former was
taken to Richmond and confined in
Libby Prison. Both were highly es-
teemed. Leaving Charlestown, the
army returned to Harper's Ferry,
camping on the ground twice before
occupied. On the 28th of August the
force was ordered up the valley. Again
marching or countermarching, skir-
mishing with or pursuing the enemy,
or being pursyed by him, was the order
of the day. It soon became apparent,
however, that the army was' about to
make a determined advance. On the
ISth of September all surplus baggage
was sent to the rear, and early the fol-
lowing morning the force was in mo-
tion.

Early held the west side of the Ope-
quan creek. Sheridan was in his front
and on his right. The cavalry had
driven the enemy and cleared the pas-
sage of the Opequan. This was now
forded by the infantry, who advanced
along the turnpike through a deep ra-
vine about a mile in length. Early had
hoped to prevent their entering this
ravine, but in this he failed. It now
remained for him to seize the upper
opening and prevent our troops from
forming in line of battle; or, failing in
this, he hoped after the Union troops
had formed to mass his whole strength
against them, and by holding the gorge
to cut off their retreat.

The battle of Opequan creek or
Winchester, was fought to gain pos-
session of this ravine, the key to "Win-
chester. At ten o'clock a. m., the 6th
corps left the ravine, and filing to the
left, advanced on the open plain in
two lines of battle, the first of which
carried one of the enemy's rifle pits.
The 19th corps closely followed the
6th, Gen. Grover's division joining
them on the right. Dwight's division,
to which the 153d belonged, was sent
as Grover's support. While their bri-
gade was forming, it received repeat-
ed volleys from the enemy, who were
behind and protected by a ledge of
rocks. The burden of the conflict in
the early part of the day came upon
the 19th corps and Rickett's division
of the 6th corps, who for hours held
the approaches to the ravine — while
the Sth coriis was swinging around the
enemy's flank — Early, in the mean-
time, having massed his forces against
them. At 3 o'clock, the cavalry, with
the Sth corps, charged the enemy's left
flank. The entire army now advanced.
The wood in which the enemy had con-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

243

centrated was quickly carried, and the
foe fled from it in great haste, leaving
behind their guns and accoutrements.
The retreat soon became a disastrous
rout. The enemy fled through ■ Win-
chester in confusion. Col. Davis, of
this regiment, was in command of the
1st brigade. In the hottest of the
tight, he was at the front cheering his
troops. At one time he seized one of
the regimental color standards, and
bearing it aloft, pressed forward, in-
spiring his men with new enthusiasm.

The victory was complete. It was
believed that the 19th corps suffered
most severely in this battle, having
lost 1940 in killed and wounded. Capts.
DeWandelaer and Jacob C. Klock, of
this regiment, were found in the house
of a rebel Congressman. Capt. Klock
was severely wounded. He was, how-
ever, enabled to return to his home in
St. Johnsville, where, after being pro-
moted major, he died, Oct. 4, 1864.
Post Klock, No. 70, G. A. R., of Fort
Plain, N. Y., was named in honor of
this gallant officer. After the battle
of Opequan creek or Winchester, the
enemy were pursued 8 miles south, to
Fisher's Hill, where they were found
strongly fortified between two moun-
tain ranges. From this stronghold
they were completely routed on the
22d, giving Sheridan possession of
Fisher's Hill, the most formidable nat-
ural barrier in the valley. Following
up this victory, the Union forces pur-
sued the enemy night and day, har-
assing and driving them through
Woodstock, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Crau-
ford and Staunton to Waynesborough,
destroying flouring mills and vast
quantities of grain.

While in the valley 22 of the men
were captured by Moseby. Seven of
th&m he decided to hang, because Cus-
ter had executed seven of his guerillas
at Fort Royal. The number having
been selected by lot, it was ordered
that they be put to death half a mile
west of Berryville. Four of the con-
demned escaped, yet not until they
had been severely wounded; the other
three were hanged. One of these was
a meinber of the 153d.

On the 30th of September, the troops
started down the valley, and on the
10th of October crossed C^dar creek
and encamped. October 18th the 1st
and part of the 2d division proceeded
on a reconnoisance, nearly as far as
Strasburg. They found the rebels en-
camped here, and also discovered that
the enerriy were again strongly en-
trenched at Fisher's Hill.

On the 15th Sheridan made a flying
visit to Washington, leaving Gen.
Wright, of the 6th corps, in command.
Early, aware of Sheridan's absence,
and having been reinforced by Long-
street's corps, attacked our army in
force at daybreak on the 19th. The

8th corps was surprised and driven
back in confusion. The 6th and 19th
corps were soon ordered to retire from
the position. The enemy captured our
guns and turned them upon our sol-
diers, who checked this onset and then
fell back. Sheridan, returning from
Washington and learning of the dis-
aster hastened to his army, which had
retreated several miles. He at once
formed a line of battle, and as he dash-
ed along the ranks, said: "Never
mind, boys, we'll whip them yet." The
air was rent with responsive cheers
from his men. At one o'clock the
pickets of the 19th corps were vigor-
ously attacked and driven in by the
enemy. Our line now pressed for-
ward on a double quick and soon re-
ceived a severe fire, but continued
steadily to advance, when the enemy
opened fire upon the right flank, the
line swinging to the right to meet it.
It was soon found that the rebels were
retreating to the left, when the line
was immediately turned in that direc-
tion, and the enemy were driven in
confusion from behind a temporary
breastwork. Their retreat now be-
came a rout, and was followed up by
our troops, until they retook the
breastworks from which they had been
driven in the morning, the 153d regi-
ment being among the first to occupy
the works. Following the pursuit al-
most to Strasburg, the Union forces
encamped, and on the 21st returned to
their old quarters near Cedar creek.
Col. Davis, of the 153d, was made Brig-
adier General by brevet for his brav-
ery at this battle.

On the 9th of November, the army
left Cedar creek and encamped near
Newtown. Here the troops remained
until December 29th, when they broke
camp and marched to Stevenson's
depot, the terminus of the Harper's
Ferry and Winchester railroads; here
they began to erect winter quarters
near the depot in a grove of oak and
black walnut. On the 23d of March,
1865, this regiment was sent across to
Snicker's gap, but returned the follow-
ing day without adventure. At mid-
night, April 9th, the booming of can-
non announced the surrender of Lee.
April 11th the regiment moved to Sum-
mit Point, and on the 20th they left
this place by cars for Washington.
While passing Harper's Ferry, Fink,
of Company C, was killed. On the fol-
lowing day this regiment encamped
near Fort Stevens, at Washington, and
took part in the grand review of veter-
ans at that place, April 23d and 24th.

On the 6th of June, 1865, the 153d
embarked on the steamer Oriental, for
Savannah, Georgia, where it arrived
on the 13th. Colonel — now Brig.-Gen-
eral by brevet — Davis was in command
of the city, which this regiment now
guarded. Dr. A. L. Snow was here

244

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

promoted Brigade-Surgeon, and was
afterward assigned the position of
health officer of the district and city
of Savannah.

Major Charles F. Putnam, died here,
after a. severe but brief illness. This
l)rave officer had been with the regi-
ment from the first. On the 9th his
remains were borne Ijy his comrades to
the beautiful Laurel Grove cemetery.
They were brought north at the time
of the return of the regiment, and in-
terred in the cemetery at Fultonville,
near his former home. Adjutant A. V.
Davis was now promoted to the rank
of major, an honor richly merited.

On the 5th of October, this regi-
ment took the steamer "Emilie" for the
north by the way of Hilton Head,
which place was reached the same
day. On the 7th the 153d left by the
steamer "McLellan" for New York, ar-
riving there on the 10th of October,
and on the 11th took the "Mary Ben-
ton" for Albany. Here a large num-
ber of the sick were taken to the "Ira
Harris" hospital. Of them twelve or
fourteen died, several at Albany, the
others after reaching their homes. On
the 16th of October, 1865, the men
were mustered out of the service and
paid off.

The two guidons of the regiment, of
white silk, with "153" in the centre,
were presented by Mrs. Joseph Strain,
at Albany, and carried through the
campaign in the southwest. The regi-
mental banner is of blue silk, bearing
the arms and motto of the United
States and the legend "153d N. Y. Vol.
Regiment Infantry."

Beers has the following reference to
the 97th Regiment New York Volun-
teers. 53 Fulton county men were en-
rolled in the 97th:

The 97th Regiment New York Vol-
unteers, was organized in Booneville,
N. Y., under command of Col. Chas.
Wheelock, and was mustered into the
service February 18th, 1862. The regi-
ment left Booneville for Washington
March 12th, but remained in Albany
for one week, and only arrived in New
York March 18th, where the troops
received the Enfield rifled musket. The
97th arrived in Washington March
20th. In May the regiment was as-
signed to Gen. Duryee's brigade. Gen.
Rickett's division, and was under Gen.
McDowell's command during the ad-
vance in the Shenandoah Valley, in
June, 1862.

The regiment was in ten battles and
suffered great loss, being reduced to
less than 100 effective men before the
close of the war. Durin.g the months
of September and October, 1863, it re-
ceived a large number of conscripts.
The regiment was attached to the 2d

brigade, 2d division, 1st army corps,
in December, 1863. It took part in the
following engagements: Cedar Moun-
tain, August 9, 1862; Rappahanock
Station, August 23, 1862; Thorough-
fare Gap, August 28, 1862; second Bull
Run, August 30, 1862; Chantilla, Sep-
tember 1, 1862; South Mountain, Md.,
September 14, 1862; Antietam, Md.,
September 17, 1862; first Fredericks-
burg, December 13, 1862; Chancellors-
ville, Va., May 1, 1863; Gettysburg,
July 1-3, 1863.

The following is a list of engage-
ments participated in by Co. I, 10th N.
Y. Cavalry, which was recruited main-
ly from Mayfield and Broadalbin, Ful-
ton county. 92 Fulton county men
were enrolled in this organization:

Louisa Court House, Va., May 4,
1863; Brandy Station, Va., June 9,
1863; Aldie, Va., June 17, 1863; Middle-
burg, June 19, 1863; Upperville, Va.,
June 20, 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2
and 3, 1863; Shepherdstown, Va., July
16, 1863; Sulphur Springs, Va., October
12, 1863; Little Auburn and Brestoe
Station, October 14, 1863; Mill Run,
Va., November 24, 1863; The Wilder-
ness, Va., May 5, 6, 7 and 8, 1864;
Ground Squirrel Church, Va., May 11,
1864; Defences of Richmond, Va^ May
12, 1864; Hanover Town, Va., May 28,
1864; Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864;

Trav Station, Va., June 11, 1864;

White House Landing, Va., June 22,
1864; St. Mary's Church, Va., June 24,
1864; Gravel Church Hill, Va., July 28,
1864; Lee's Mills, Va., July 30, 1864;
Deep Bottom, Va., August 14 and 15,
1864; Fisher's Hill, Va., August 18,
1864; Weldon Rail Road, Va., August
21, 1864; 'Ream's Station, Va., August
23, 1864; Vaughn Road, Va., Septem-
ber 30 and October 1, 1864; South Side
Rail Road, Va., October 27, 1864; Des-
pritanna Station, Va., November 18,
1864; Stony Creek, Va., December 1,
1864; Belfleld Station, Va., December
9, 1864; Janett's Station, Va., Decem-
ber 10, 1864; Dinwiddie Court House,
Va., March 31, 1865; grand cavalry
charge. Sailor's Creek, Va., April 6,
1865; Jettersville, Va., April 5, 1865;
Fannville, Va., April 7, 1865; Appo-
mattox Station, Va., April 9, 1865.

Co. K, First Light Artillery, was known
as the "Fort Plain Battery" because it
was recruited at Fort Plain in the fall
of '61. It was mustered in at Albany,
Nov. 20, 1861. Its service began at
Washington and in May, 1862, at Har-
pers Ferry it joined the Second bri-
gade, Siegel's division. It was with
the Twelfth corps after June 26, 1862,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

245

until May 12, 1863, when it was trans-
ferred to the reserve artillery where it
remained until March, 1864. It was
later connected with the Twenty-sec-
ond corps in the defense of Washing-
ton. Batterj^ K was mustered out at
Elmira, N. Y., June 20, 1865. It then
being under command of Capt. Stock-
ing. Mason's History says, "the ser-
vice of the First was light artillery
and by batteries in the Army of the
Potomac, also in the Army of Virginia,
of the Cumberland, and of Georgia,
and was of such a detached character
that the ofBcial record of battles of the
Fort Plain Battery cannot be separated
from those of other batteries of the
regiment." Capt. Lorenzo Crounse,
who commanded Co. K when it was
mustered in, later became governor of
Nebraska. Most of the men of this
organization came from Fort Plain
and the adjoining country, and the
company numbered 65 men on muster-
ing in.

1862; Fredericksburg, Dec. 11-15, 1862;
Franklin's Crossing, April 29 and May
2, 1863; Marye's Heights and Salem
Church, May 3-4, 1863.

The Thirty-second regiment was re-
cruited under one of the first calls for
troops. It was organized in New York
city and was mustered into service,
for two years, May 31, 1861. On the
expiration of this term, the three-year
mjen were transferred to the 121st
New York. Company B was recruited
at Canajoharie and Company D at Am-
sterdam, but the names of these vol-
unteers are missing, but they are esti-
mated as numbering about 130 men.
This regiment served for several
weeks at Washington and Alexandria,
after being mustered in. It was then
attached to the Army of the Potomac
until it was mustered out June 9,
1863. Following is a summary of the
battles of the Thirty-second: Fair-
fax Court House, July 17, 1861; Black-
burn's Ford, July 20, 1861; Bull Run,
July 21, 1861; Munson's Hill, Aug. 25
and Sept. 28, 1861; Anandale, Dec. 2,
1861; West Point, Va., May 7, 1862;
Seven Days' battles, June 25-July 2,
1862; Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862; Gar-
nett's and Golding's farms, June 28,
1862; Glendale. June 30, 1862; Malvern
Hill, July 1, 1862; Crampton Pass,
Sept. 14, 1862; Antietam, Sept. 17,

The Forty -third New York was or-
ganized and mustered into service at
Albany in September, 1861, for three
years service. It was known variously
as the "Albany and Yates Rifles" and
"Vinton Rifles." It saw hard service
and bore an honorable part in the
campaigns of the Army of the Poto-
mac. Co. E of this regiment was re-
cruited at Canajoharie, that company
numbering 70 volunteers, at the time
of mustering in. The 43d served at
and near Washington until Oct. 15,
when it became part of Hancock's bri-
gade. Smith's division, Army of the
Potomac. May, 1862, it was made
part of the first brigade, second divis-
ion, sixth corps, and later was in the
"Light Brigade" at Chancellorsville. It
later formed part of the third bri-
gade, second division, sixth corps, un-
der command of Col. Charles A. Milli-
kin, being mustered out of service at
Washington, June 27, 1865. Its list of
battles follows: Vienna and Flint
Hill, Feb. 22, 1862; Siege of Yorktown,
April 5 and May 4, 1862; Lee's Mills,
April 16 and 28, 1862; Williamsburg,
May 5, 1862; Seven days' battle, June
25 to July 2, 1862; Garnett's Farm,
June 27, 1862; Garnett's and Golding's
Farms, June 28, 1862; Savage Station,
June 29, 1862; White Oak Swamp
Bridge, June 30. 1862; Malvern Hill,
July 1, 1862; Sugar Loaf Mountain,
Sept. 10-11, 1862; Crampton Pass,
Sept. 14, 1862; Antietam, Sept. 17,
1862; Fredericksburg, Dec. 11-15,
1862; Marye's Heights and Salem
church. May 3-4, 1863; Deep Run
Crossing, June 5, 1863; Gettysburg,
July 1-3, 1863; Fairfield, Pa., July 5,
1863; Antietam and Marsh Run, July
7, 1863; near Lietersburg, July 10,
1863; Funkstown, July 11-13, 1863;
WilliamspQrt, July 14, 1863; Auburn,
Oct. 13, 1863; Rappahannock Station,
Nov. 7, 1863; Mine Run Campaign,
Nov. 26 and Dec. 2, 1863; Wilderness,
May 5-7, 1864; Spottsylvania Court
House, May 8-21, 1864; Piney Branch

246

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Church, May 8, 1864; Landron's Farm,
May 10, 1864; the Salient, May 12,
1864; North Anna, May 22-26, 1864;
Tolopotomy, May 27-31, 1864; Cold
Harbor, June 1-12, 1864; before Pet-
ersburg, June 18, July 9 and Decem-
ber, 1864, and April 2, 1865; Assault
of Petersburg, June 18-19, 1864; Wel-
don railroad, June 21-23, 1864; Fort
Stevens, July 12-13, 1864; Charles-
town, Aug. 21, 1864; Opequan Creek,
Sept. 13, 1864; Opequan, Sept. 19,
1864; Fisher's Hill, Sept. 22, 1864;
Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864; Peters-
burg Works, March 22, 1865; Appo-
mattox campaign, March 28 and April
9, 1865; Fall of Petersburg, April 2,
1865; Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865;
Appomatox Court House, April 9, 1865.

The Thirteenth Heavy Artillery had
33 Montgomery county and 71 Fulton
county men in its ranks or 104 in all.
It was mustered in by companies the
latter part of 1863 and early part of
1864. The official record of the battles
of the Thirteenth is as follows: Before
Petersburg and Richmond, May 5 and
31, 1864; before Peterburg, June 15,
1864; assault on Petersburg, June 15
and 17, 1864; Swift Creek, Oct. 7, 1864;
Day's Point, Nov. 14, 1864; Fort Fisher,
Dec. 25, 1864, Jan. 15, 1865; fall of
Petersburg, April 2, 1865.

In the Sixteenth Heavy Artillery
were 36 men from Montgomery and 8
from Fulton, a total of 44. The Mont-
gomery men came from the towns of
Minden, St. Johnsville and Canajo-
harie and were enrolled in Companies
F and H. The Sixteenth was mustered
in at Elmira and left the state in de-
tachments, the local companies going
in January, 1864. The regiment was
recruited in New York city by Col.
Joseph J. Morrison, its commanding
officer. The regiment served as heavy
artillery and infantry at Fortress Mon-
roe, Yorktown and Gloucester Point,
later being divided and sent on de-
tached service. It was mustered out at
Washington, Aug. 31, 1865.

On Monday and Tuesday, August 26
and 27, 1912, was held the fiftieth an-

niversary and the thirty- first annual
reunion of the 115th and 153d New
York Volunteer Regiments at Fonda,
N. Y. This historic occasion, for the
counties of Montgomery and Fulton,
is reported as follows in the Mohawk
Valley Democrat, Fonda, August 29,
1912:

Fifty years ago today Fonda sent
forth the first fully organized regiment
from this congressional district to de-
fend the flag of our Union, to main-
tain our country as one undivided
whole, and to uphold the constitution
of the founders of our government
which declares that before the law all
men are free and equal.

The outbreak of the Civil war found
the political situation in Montgomery
county to be much the same as in
other sections of the state, and while
at times there were murmurings and
dissatisfaction, they were not of such
character as to cause general alarm.

During the course of the war Mont-
gomery county furnished men for
twenty different regiments, although
in several of them the representation
was quite small. In May, 1861, the
32d was accepted and of the several
companies B was recruited at Cana-
joharie and D at Amsterdam. The
42d regiment was despatched in Sep-
tember, 1861, and Canajoharie furnish-
ed the greater portion of Co. E. This
was one of the hardest fighting regi-
ments in the Army of the Potomac.

The 115th contained more Montgoin-
ery county recruits than any to which
the county contributed and was raised
at a time when the government was
in great need of volunteers during the
trying summer of 1862. Companies A,
B, D, G, H, I and K contained men
from this county, forming almost half
of the entire regiment. The regiment
was mustered into service at Fonda on
August 26, 1862,. by Captain Edgerton
of the regular army and broke camp
on August 29, 1862.

The 153d regiment was recruited
soon afterward, seven of its companies
being from this and Fulton counties,
the Montgomery county men being
mostly in companies B, C and E. It
also was mustered into service at
Fonda, which took place on October 14,
1862.

The regimental organizations of
these two commands have for the past
thirty years held annual reunions in
various ijlaces in this congressional
district, but they have always held
them at separate times and in differ-
ent localities.

This year being the fiftieth anniver-
sary of their departure for the seat of
war it was agreed to hold a joint re-
union here, the place that they were

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

247

mustered into the service. It was very
fitting- that Fonda should be selected
for their semi-centennial and the peo-
ple here have shown their apprecia-
tion of the honor by the splendid
reception accorded them. Veterans
have been looking forward to this for
a year and some of them traveled long
distances to participate in the event.
Several came from Iowa and Comrade
M. B. Foote of Hastings, Neb., was in
California when he received his no-
tice and started at once across the
continent, arriving here Monday morn-
ing. Others came from Wisconsin and
Ohio.

The festivities commenced on Mon-
day evening", when an association
camp fire was held by Co. C of the
115th regiment, but was broadened by
invitation to include not only the 115th
and 153d regiments, but also the pub-
lic. This was held in the old court
house hall, which was artistically
draped with the national colors. At
the Ijack of the rostrum were hung the
portraits of Col. Simeon Sammons and
Garret Van Derveer, captain of Co. A,
both of the 115th; also that of Colonel
Edwin P. Davis of the 153d regiment.
In the northwest corner a tent was
stretched and beside it was an old
camp kettle and a stack of arms.

Comrade James E. Held of Boston
presided over the meeting.

Most interesting exercises were held
here, including experiences given by
comrades.

The hall was packed with people, at
least 500 being present, and many
were turned away as it was impos-
sible for them to gain admittance.

On Tuesday the general reunion of
the two regiments occurred. The meet-
ing at 9 a. m. was called to order by
A. H. Mills, chairman of the citizens'
committee. The Rev. Washington
Frothingham made the opening prayer.
The address of welcome was delivered
by Harry Y. MacNeil, president of the
village, who extended the veterans a
most hearty and cordial greeting. This
was responded to by Comrade James
E. Reid for the 115th and by Comrade
C. B. Clute for the 153d. After this
the two regiments separated and held
their organization meetings in execu-
tive session.

At one o'clock the two regiments
formed into line and preceded by the
veteran drum corps marched to the
Reformed church, where the members
of the D. A. R. served a bountiful and
delicious dinner.

After refreshments the visitors were
conveyed in autos to the grave of Col.
Sammons, about a mile north of the
village, where he lies buried on the an-
cestral family farm which he owned
during his lifetime and has been in
the family for several generations and
is still occupied by them. At the time

of the Revolution it was occupied by
Sampson Sammons and his sons, who
were sturdy and uncompromising pa-
triots, the father being a member of
the Committee of Safety, a most hon-
orable and at the same time dangerous
office to hold. This spot is only a short
distance from the old camp ground
where the two regiments were muster-
ed into service. It was called Camp
Mohawk.

One of the most interesting features
of the celebration was the stirring old
time music furnished by the veteran
drum corps, which included all the
familiar airs of fifty years ago. Adam
Young of Fonda was one of the snare
drummers. The others were all from
this county and were 70 years or more
of age. During the afternoon while
the St. Johnsville band was giving a
concert in the park the drum corps
filled the waits with the inspiring
martial music of war times.

About 350 people partook of the re-
freshments and all pronounced them
most delicious.

The veterans have gone to their sev-
eral homes, but it is douVjtful if age
will ever dim the recollection of their
semi-centennial at Fonda in 1912.

Exactly 100 members of the 115th
Regiment answered to roll call at this
their fiftieth anniversary and thirty-
first reunion. Forty-two of the 153d
answered to roll call at Fonda, 142
veterans being present for both regi-
ments out of the 1181 that are known
to have gone to the front from Mont-
gomery and Fulton counties.

Since the foregoing chapter was
written (in which reference was made
to the lack of published experiences of
Civil war soldiers from the Mohawk
valley) two valley newspapers have
started interesting publications re-
garding personal descriptions and im-
pressions of local veterans written by
them on the field during the Rebellion.

The Mohawk Valley Register is at
present (October, 1913) republishing
letters from the field, written fifty
years ago by Lieut. Angell Matthew-
son of Co. K, First Light Artillery
(known as the Fort Plain Battery), to
the Register, of which he was then one
of the editors and proprietors. These
are very interesting and particularly
so t^ readers of western Montgomery
county, many of whom are relatives or
friends of the local members of this
famous military organization. Mr.
Matthewson died in 1913.

The Herkimer Citizen has been

248

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

printing, for eight months (since Jan-
uary, 1913) letters and diaries, written
by members of the 34th New York.
This was a Herkimer county regi-
ment, five of its companies having
been recruited from that county. It
was mustered in June 15, 1S61, and
mustered out June 30, 1863. The 34th
was in fierce fighting during McClel-
lan's advance on and retreat from
Richmond in the summer of '62 and
particularly distinguished itself in a
famous charge at Fair Oaks which is
said to have won the battle for the
federal forces. On June 17, 1863, the
regiment was given a great ovation on
its return to Herkimer county at Lit-
tle Falls. It had three colonels, Ladue,
Suiter and Laflin. Col. Suiter was in
command during the fighting before
Richmond in which the regiment lost
very heavily, and Col. Laflin was in
command of the regiment at the time
of its famous reception by the citizens
of Little Falls. At this time the staff
officers were: Colonel, Byron Laflin;
lieutenant-colonel, John Beverly; ma-
jor, Wells Sponable; adjutant, John
Kirk; quartermaster, Nathan Easter-
brooks; surgeon, S. F. Manley; assist-
ant surgeon, J. Hurley Miller; chap-
lain, S. Franklin Schoonmaker.

The letters and journals of the Her-
kimer county boys in this famous
body, which the Citizen has published,
form most absorbing reading and give
a graphic picture of the soldier's life
from the private's point of view. This
is particularly true of Private W. J.
McLean, who wrote a diary of his life
and the army's movements, battles
and retreats, in the campaign of the
Army of the Potomac during 1862, be-
fore Richmond. Both these Civil war
publications (those of the Register
and the Citizen) deserve permanent
preservation as they give an insight
into the miseries of war and the life jof
the soldier, such as the regular his-
tories absolutely fail of providing.

Sept. 17, 1913, at Herkimer, during
appropriate public exercises, the col-
ors of the 34th Regiment were pre-
sented to the Herkimer Historical so-
ciety by James Suiter, life president
of the 34th Regiment association and

son of Col. Suiter. They had been pre-
served for nearly fifty years by Major
Wells Sponable of the 34th, who turn-
ed them over to Mr. Suiter shortly be-
fore his death in 1911. A reunion of
the 34'th was held at Herkimer on the
same date (Sept. 17, 1913) and over
thirty veterans of the organization
were present, this year being the fif-
tieth anniversary of the mustering out
of the regiment. Among the old sol-
diers, who answered the roll call, were
several whose letters and diaries, writ-
ten on the field when young men half
a century ago, have made such en-
tertaining reading in the Herkimer
Citizen for the past few months. Mr.
McLean, the author of the diary men-
tioned was one of these. This reunion
was held on the fifty-first anniversary
of the battle of Antietam, Md., in which
the 34th bore a gallant part in the re-
pulse of the Confederates from Union
soil. This was the bloodiest single
day's fighting of the Civil war and the
34th lost heavily. Other regiments in
which Herkimer county was repre-
sented were the 81st, 97th and 121st.

In July, 1913, was held the fiftieth
anniversary of the battle of Gettys-
burg on the field of action, which is
said to have defeated the Confederacy.

Fifty thousand veterans attended
this historic event, a number of them
going from the Mohawk valley. A
great many of old boys in grey took
part in this reunion, which is said to
have marked the absolute and final
reunion of the north and south. A
similar anniversary was held at Chick-
amauga in September, 1913 (in what
was once rebel territory), largely par-
ticipated in by blue and gray veterans
who fought on that bloody battle-
ground.

Colonel Angell Matthewson was born
in Pulaski, Oswego county, New York,
June 8, 1837, and received his educa-
tion in the academy of that town.
When only 15 years of age he com-
menced working at the printer's
trade in the office of the Pulaski
Democrat. At 21 he was foreman of
the job department of the Daily Pal-
ladium in Oswego, and a year later was

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

249

city editor of tiie same paper. In 1859
he became associated with the Morn-
ing Herald office of Utica, N. Y., and
went shortly after to Fort Plain, N.
y., where he became proprietor of the
Mohawk Valley Register. In 1861 he
enlisted in the Union army and raised
a company in his home town in New
York, of which he became second lieu-
tenant. Lorenzo Crounse, afterwards
governor of Nebraska, was captain of
the same company. This company
rendezvoused at Elmira, in Septem-
ber, 1861, where it was attached to the
First New York Light Artillery, as
Battery K of that regiment. May 18,
1861, Lieutenant Matthewson was ap-
pointed post adjutant at Camp Berry,
Washington, D. C.

May 30, 1862, at Bolivar Heights,
near Harper's Ferry, with a single
piece of artillery, he routed the
enemy's sharp shooters, and -engaged
a four-gun battery for half an hour,
handling his gun with such judgment
and skill that the only damage sus-
tained was the disabling of one of the
wheels of the gun carriage by a solid
shot from the enemy, while the
enemy's loss, as reported by Major
Gardner of the Fifth New York Cav-
alry, was seven killed and upwards of
50 wounded. For his services on this
occasion, he was appointed ordinance
officer on the staff of Major-General
Franz Sigel, June 7, 1862, and after-
wards served in the same capacity on
the staffs of Generals Cooper and Au-
gur. November, 1862, he was promoted
to first lieutenant and assigned to
duty with Battery D of his regiment.
May 23, 1863, he was appointed adju-
tant of his regiment and May 25 was
appointed acting assistant adjutant-
general of the Artillery Brigade, First
Corps, Army of the Potomac, which
position he held one year. July 1, 1864,
he was promoted to captain of his
company for meritorious service at
North Anna River, Va., May 22, 1864,
where he was shot through the thigh
with a minnie ball, while in com-
mand of Battery D and fighting almost
a forlorn hope. He was in service un-
til the end of the war, three years and
nine months, and was mustered out

at Elmira, N. Y., June 17, 1865. He
was engaged in the following battles:
Harper's Ferry, Cedar Mountain, Rap-
pahannock Station, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville. Gettysburg, Mine
Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North
Anna River, Siege of Petersburg, Wel-
don Railroad, Hatcher's Run and Lee's
surrender at Appomattox Court House.

After the close of the war Colonel
Matthewson returned to Fort Plain,
where he continued to engage in the
newspaper business and also pur-
chased the Canajoharie Radii, which
he conducted for a number of years.
In 1868 he was nominated and elected
on the Democratic ticket to the lower
house of the New York legislature
from Montgomery county and served
in that capacity for two years. At
the close of his service in the legisla-
ture he determined to go west and
disposed of his newspaper interests in
New York. When he reached Kansas
City he was offered the position of
city editor of the Kansas City Journal,
but from friends in New York he had
heard of the founding of a new town
by the name of Parsons, and deter-
mined to go to the place in the up-
building of which he subsequently be-
came such a powerful factor.

When Colonel Matthewson was east
in 1912, he visited the old Gettysburg
battlefield, where he had served so
brilliantly as a captain in the Union
army, and walked over the field with
a guide, an old veteran of the battle,
and came to a spot where the guide
said: "Here is where a battery of
Union artillery was posted to shell the
Confederate ranks. They were firing
too high and their shells went wild,
doing absolutely no good whatever. A
Confederate battery was turned on
them, however, and commenced to
wreak havoc among the Union forces
stationed here. About that time a
young captain in the Union army came
up. relieved the officer in charge of the
battery, telling him his aim was poor,
ordered the direction of the guns low-
ered and with telling and accurate aim
silenced within a few minutes the Con-
federate battery which was doing so
much damage to our forces."

250

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

"Do you know who that captain
was?" asked Colonel Matthewson.

The guide replied that he did not.

"I was the man," modestly admitted
the Colonel.

And the monument that marks the
battlefield contains the name of Angell
Matthewson in commemoration of his
valiant service to the Union cause at
that great battle.

Colonel Matthewson died at his
home in Parsons, Kansas, Jan. 15,
1913, after a long, useful and success-
ful career both as soldier and citizen.

Col. Simeon Sammons, colonel of the
115th New York regiment during the
Civil war, was born in the town of
Mohawk in 1811. He was the son of
Hon. Thomas Sammons, who was a
Revolutionary soldier and patriot and
who collected the celebrated "Sam-
mons papers," frequently referred to
and some of which are reprinted in
this work. Thomas Sammons was for
two terms a member of congress.
Sampson Sammons was the grand-
father of Col. Sammons and had
charge of Johnson Hall, under the
Tryon County Committee, during the
Revolution. Col. Sammons was edu-
cated at Johnstown Academy and later
held a commission in the militia. He
was chosen colonel of the 115th, Au-
gust, 1862, and was twice wounded
during his service. After the war Col.
Sammons was elected to the New
York assembly for one term and also
filled the office of harbor master of the
port of New York. He died in 1881,
aged 70 years.

CHAPTER IV.
1892, Barge Canal Recommendation of
State Engineer Martin Schenck —
1900, Report of the Greene Canal
Commission, Barge Canal Survey—
1903, Passage of $101,000,000 Barge
Canal Act — 1905, Work Begun on
Champlain Canal Section — Locks
Widened to 45 Feet — Features of the
Mohawk River Canalization.

I have lately made a tour through
the Lakes George and Champ'ain as
far as Crown Point. Thence returning
to Schenectady, I proceeded up the

Mohawk river to Fort Schuyler and
crossed over to Wood creek, which
empties into the Oneida lake, and af-
fords the water communication with
Ontario. I then traversed the country
to the eastern branch of the Susque-
hanna, and viewed the Lake Otsego,
and the portage between that lake and
the Mohawk river at Canajoharie.
Prompted by these actual observa-
tions, I could not help taking a more
extensive view of the vast inland navi-
gation of these United States, from
maps and the information of others,
and could not but be struck by the
immense extent and importance of it,
and with the goodness of Providence,
which has dealt its favors to us with
so profuse a hand. Would to God we
may have wisdom enough to improve
them. — From a letter to Count Chas-
telleaux written by General Washing-
ton, after his journey up the Mohawk
river in 178.3. (See Chapter XXIV, First
Series.)

This present chapter describes the
New York state Barge canal, now
(1913) nearing completion, and is the
sixth chapter treating of transporta-
tion in the Mohawk valley. Prior ones
have covered Mohawk river traffic,
highways, bridges, Erie canal and rail-
road building. The seventh and last
sketch regarding valley transportation
methods will be the one describing the
first aeroplane flight over the course
of the Mohawk. This is also the fifth
chapter in the series which considers
the Mohawk river in its various fea-
tures. This series has comprised the
following subjects: Mohawk river and
valley, Mohawk river traffic, river and
other bridges, Erie canal. Barge canal.

The Barge canal is the most import-
ant engineering work in all the world's
history, not in the working difficulties
encountered (which may be at their
utmost in the Panama canal) but in
the population concerned, in volume of
available trade, and in future possi-
bilities, in which the Barge canal
promises to far surpass any water-
way or land trade route now or ever
in existence, not excepting the Panama
or the Suez canals. The greatest won-
der connected with the whole work of
the Barge canal is not its immense
importance to half the hundred million
people of North America but the fact
that it has been practically completed
at this time (1913) with hardly a sin-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

251

gle proper exposition of tlie importance
of the work for the enlightenment of
the people of the United States, with
the single exception of the very inter-
esting exploitation of the matter in
the "Live Wire" of August 1, 1913,
published by the Buffalo Chamber of
Commerce, from which verbatim ex-
tracts are made in this chapter. There
are millions of people in the United
States who have never heard of the
Barge canal, whereas the Panama en-
terprise is known practically to the
entire population. More people of this
country, and of the entire region of
North America, will receive greater
benefits from the Barge canal than
from the waterway which bisects the
Isthmus of Panama.

This paramount importance of the
Barge canal to all the people of the
middle west, the northwest and the
eastern states and Atlantic seaboard,
can be proven by reference to the ton-
nage figures of the Sault Ste. Marie
canal (between Lakes Superior and
Huron) and that of the Suez canal. In
1910, the "Soo" passed a tonnage of 36
million while the Suez reported 23 mil-
lion tons. Much of the Great Lakes
traffic must find -its outlet by way of
the Barge canal and there is every in-
dication that its tonnage figures will
equal and probably greatly surpass
those of the Sault Ste. Marie.

If Elkanah Watson was the "father"
of the old improved Mohawk waterway
of 1796 and Jesse Hawley was the
"father" of the Erie canal of 1825, be-
cause their writings and activities
were the first powerful means of fur-
thering these projects, then the honor
of being the "parent" of the Barge
canal belongs to a Mohawk valley man
and a native of Montgomery county-
Martin Schenck. He is entitled to
this distinction for the same reason
as Watson and Hawley are entitled to
theirs. His was the first public and
definite proposal for a canal of the
Barge canal type, made in his report
of 1892, when Mr. Schenck was state
engineer and surveyor. Martin

Schenck was born at the old Schenck
place near the mouth of Knauderack
creek, which runs through Schenck's

Hollow, just west of the north side
"Nose", in the town of Palatine.

In this place it is well to state that
Watson and Hawley were but two of
many men who had advocated a lakes-
to-the-sea waterway (by way of the
Mohawk valley) from the earliest days
of the colony. They take their distinc-
tion from the fact that they were the
first to put their plans before the pub-
lic in a practical, concrete form, just
as Martin Schenck was the first to ad-
vocate publicly a Barge canal of a def-
inite type, allied to the present un-
dertaking. Hawley, Geddes and For-
man were all instrumental in the in-
itial advancement of the Erie (or
Grand) canal project, probably in the
order named. Clinton did not take
hold until the plan had already assum-
ed a definite form, but his political
power was one of the main causes for
the act authorizing the canal work,
and he, to a certain extent, deserves
the title of the "father of the Erie
canal." The whole question of the
originator of the canal idea has been
threshed out for a century. The fact
of the matter is that there have been
hundreds of influential New York
state men who have aided the cause of
state waterways from the days of the
Inland Lock Navigation company. No
one man is entitled to the sole credit
of an idea so long in the minds of
many men, but the canal projectors
mentioned have well-earned distinc-
tion on account of their public labors
mentioned.

The Barge Canal Bulletin, under
date of August, 1909, carried an ar-
ticle on "The Evolution of the Barge
Canal," which described the efforts of
the friends of the canals in behalf of
the improvement and efficiency of the
state waterways, from the completion
of the Erie in 1825 to the successful
culmination of their efforts in securing
the legislative enactment of the Barge
canal acts. The essay mentioned con-
tains the following:

"The first official presentation, of
what is practically and distinctively
the form of the present thousand-ton
Barge canal, seems to have been con-

252

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

tained in the annual report for 1892, of
State Engineer and Surveyor -Martin
Schenck, who said: 'The practical
canal of the future, connecting Lake
Erie and the Hudson river, ought to be
one capable of bearing barges, 250 feet
in length by 25 feet breadth of beam,
of a draft not to exceed 10 feet, and of
such a height that the great majority
of bridges, that should span the canal,
might be fixed structures instead of
drawbridges. With the proposed canal
(which could be built for a reasonable
sum), bearing barges towed in fleets,
each boat carrying 50,000 bushels of
wheat, New York would be enabled to
hold her commercial supremacy against
all comers for many years to come.' "

While Mr. Schenck's plan was not
immediately adopted yet it probably
blazed the way for the Barge canal, the
initial legislative measures for the con-
struction of which were adopted eleven
years later in 1903. The legislature, of
the same year in which Mr. Schenck
wrote his "Barge canal message," pro-
vided for a constitutional convention,
which, among its other duties was to
consider amendments relative to canal
improvement. The constitutional con-
vention met in 1S94 and among its
amendments was one providing that
the canals might be improved in such
manner as the legislature should pro-
vide by law. This was carried at the
election of 1894, and was generally
considered as a public mandate to
the legislature to undertake the im-
provement of the New York state
canals. The amendment became oper-
ative Jan. 1, 1895, and the legislature
of that year passed an act authorizing
the deepening of the Erie and Oswego
canals to 9 feet and the Champlain
canal to 7 feet. The project was a
failure, the appropriation of nine mil-
lion dollars being insufficient for the
work and charges of graft and swindl-
ing were rife at the time.

On March 8, 1899, Gov. Roosevelt ap-
pointed a committee of citizens, headed
by Gen. Francis V. Greene, who were
to consider the whole state canal ques-
tion and report on the same. The
"Barge Canal Bulletin" says: "The
date of this appointment marks the

real beginning of the Barge canal en-
terprise as we know it today." Early
in 1900 this committee reported, after
a thorough study of the entire prob-
lem. They emphatically recommended
that the canals should not be aban-
doned (a policy which was advocated
by many citizens of the time) but pro-
posed the enlargement of the Erie,
Champlain and Oswego canals — the
Erie to a size suitable for 1,000-ton
barges and the Champlain and Oswego
to a 9 foot depth — practically the
same recommendations that Mr.
Schenck had made eight years before.
This would allow of the use of boats
on the Erie 150 feet long, 25 wide,
drawing 10 feet of water. The locks
were to be 310 feet long by 28 feet
wide, with 11 feet of water on the
sills. The route followed closely the
line of the present Barge canal con-
struction. Upon the submission of this
report the legislature appropriated
$200,000 for Barge canal surveys and
estiihates. Data had been gathered
shortly before, over much of the pro-
posed route, by the U. S. Deep Water-
way Survey and this was available and
hastened the preliminary work. The
report of the survey was submitted to
the legislature, March 15, 1901. Con-
flicting interests deferred legislative
action until 1903, when a bill appro-
priating $82,000,000 was introduced,
providing for the improvement of the
Erie canal, Oswego canal and the
Champlain canal. The estimate of
cost was later raised to $100,592,993
and the bill as revised was submitted
to the people at the election of 1903
and was carried. This law, with its
subsequent amendments, came to be
known as the $101,000,000 Barge canal
act of 1903, and under its provisions
the Barge canal is now under construc-
tion. Says the Barge Canal Bulletin:
"In brief, the act provided for the
issuance of eighteen-year bonds for
canal improvement to the amount of
not exceeding $101,000,000, not more
than $10,000,000 to be issued within
two years after passage of the act. A
general annual tax of twelve-thous-
andths of a mill was authorized for
each million of dollars in bonds out-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

253

standing in any fiscal year. The
State Engineer and the Superintendent
of Public Works were directed to be-
gin improvements to the canals upon
the basis of a channel 75 feet in width
on the bottom, 12 feet of water and
at. least 1,128 square feet of water
cross-section, except at aqueducts and
through cities and villages, where the
width might be reduced and the cross-
section of water modified as deemed
necessary by the State Engineer, with
the approval of the Canal Board. In
rivers and lakes the channel was to
have a minimum bottom width of 200
feet, a minimum depth of 12 feet and
at least 2,400 square feet of water
cross-section. The locks were to be
328 feet long by 28 feet wide in the
clear, and with 11 feet of water on the
miter-sills.

"Routes to be followed and details
of construction were fixed. In general
the route of the Erie was by way of
the Hudson river from Troy to Water-
ford; thence by a new channel to the
Mohawk above Cohoes falls, and up the
canalized Mohawk to Rome, with a
few diversio.ns to the existing canal;
thence down the valley of Wood creek,
across Oneida lake, down Oneida river
to Three River Point and up Seneca
river to the mouth of Crusoe creek;
thence by a new route to the existing
canal at Clyde, whence the line of the
existing canal was to be followed gen-
erally to the Niagara river at Tona-
wanda, and by this river and Black
Rock harbor to Lake Erie. All work
was to be by contract and provisions
for the condemnation of necessary
lands and for the sale of abandoned
portions of the canal were made. An
Advisory Board of five expert civil
engineers and a Special Deputy State
Engineer were authorized. The criti-
cisms of the various commissions, that
were appointed to consider canal af-
fairs after the 1895 improvement, were
heeded in part by vesting most of the
responsibility for the work in the State
Engineer, giving him authority over
the preparation of plans and the su-
pervision of construction, including
both engineering and inspection." It
will be noted that the foregoing route

utilizes the natural waterways of the
Mohawk and Oswego river valleys
(joined by the Wood creek line) over
two- thirds of the route. The Mohawk
river section comprises a third of the
Erie route of the Barge canal system.

"Since the passage of the act of
1903, a score or more amendatory pro-
visions have been made, many of
which refer to its financing or to mat-
ters of administrative detail. One
only have we space to speak of here —
the widening of the locks in 1905 to
45 feet. This could be done without
greatly increasing the cost, and would
permit the passage of lake boats carry-
ing 2,600 tons. The advantages of this
great increase in carrying capacity of
barges of forty-three feet beam over
those of twenty-seven feet, the fact
that Ca:iadian canals now possess
locks forty-five feet in width by four-
teen feet depth on miter-sills, and the
further fact that more than three-
fourths of the entire Barge canal route
is through canalized natural water-
ways of sufficient width to enable boats
of this beam to pass each other, were
cogent reasons why this change was
made.

"It would be obvious that in an un-
dertaking of this character and mag-
nitude, a vast amount of preliminary
work in the way of surveys, borings,
soundings, studies, plans and maps
would be required. This preliminary
work was soon under way, but it was
not until April, 1905, that actual con-
struction was begun, upon the Cham-
plain division, quietly and without any
of the ceremonies usual to such an oc-
casion."

This, in brief is the history of the
inception of the Barge canal idea, its
consideration and public adoption and
the commencement of work. It may
be briefly summarized as follows: 1892,
State Engineer and Surveyor Martin
Schenck's annual message and report
advocating a Barge canal; 1899, March
9, Gov. Roosevelt appoints canal inves-
tigating committee; 1900, canal com-
mittee reports and recommends canal
enlargement; 1900, New York legisla-
ture appropriates $200,000 for prelimi-
nary surveys; 1901, March 15, report

254

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

of canal survey made to legislature;
1903, $101,000,000 Barg-e canal act of
1903, providing- for the Barge canal
improvement of the Erie, Oswego and
Champlain canals; 1905, beginning of
Barge canal work on the Champlain
division. The state engineers, in
charge of this work since its com-
mencement, have been 1903-1904, Ed-
ward A. Bond; 1905-1907, Henry A.
Van Alstjme; 1908, Frederick Skene;
1909-1910, Frank M. Williams; 1911-
1914, John A. Bensel.

The Barge canal through New York
state largely supplants and parallels
the present Erie. Through the valley
it follows largely the course of the
Mohawk and the old trade route from
Albany to Oswego and the great lakes.

In the section especially covered in
this historical narrative and within
the limits of Montgomery county, locks
on the canal are located as follows:
Amsterdam, Fonda, Yosts, Canajo-
harie. Fort Plain, St. Johnsville, Little
Falls. Terminal docks are projected
at Amsterdam, Fonda, Canajoharie,
Fort Plain, St. Johnsville, Little Falls.
All the towns along the Barge canal
become ports of both the Atlantic
ocean and the Great Lakes. This was
true only in a smaller degree of the
"canal towns" of the Brie. It is fitting
that the Mohawk valley, the first white
settlers of which were natives of Hol-
land— the great canal county — should
be occupied by a section of the world's
greatest canal.

The following is here reprinted from

a pamphlet entitled "The New York

State Barge Canal" by State Engineer

J. A. Bensel, published in 1912. Some

of these facts were included in the

chapter on the Erie canal but it is

nevertheless printed here complete as

follows:

To understand the canal enlarge-
ment which New York state is now en-
gaged in, a brief glance at the history
of canal-building in the state is need-
ed. The first work of interior water-
way improvement was performed by
two private companies, chartered in
1792. By the end of the eighteenth
century they had completed most of
their works. About 1808 agitation for
state-built canals was begun. In 1817
the work of construction was com-
menced, the main branch being com-

pleted in 1825. Within the next de-
cade several lateral canals were
bui.t. This period was closely fol-
lowed by the first enlargement of three
of the chief canals — a work protracted
through many years and not com-
pleted till 1862. Then folowed some
two decades of little activity, during
the latter part of which several of the
lateral branches were abandoned. In
1884 the period of later improvements
was begun by a series of lock-length-
enings, which continued for about ten
years. Ihe ast decade and a half has
witnessed the undertakings of two en-
largements, the latter of which is the
work now in progress — the Barge
canal.

During the history of its canals New
York state has opened 1,050 miles of
navigable waterways including a hun-
dred miles of interior lake navigation.
In addition there are nearly 500 miles
of lake and river navigation along the
Canadian and Vermont borders, and
150 miles on the Hudson river. Some
350 miles of these canals have been
officially abandoned, while about 50
miles more have fa'len into disuse.
The work of improvement now going
on, known as Barge canal construc-
tion, consists of the enlargement of
four of the existing canals, large por-
tions of the channe's, however, being
relocated. On one of these canals thife
is the second enlargement since its
original building, on two this is the
third enlargement, while on the other
branch it is the fourth.

The four canals being improved are:
(1) The Erie, or main canal, which
stretches across the state from east
to west, joining the Hudson river and
Lake Erie; (2) the Champlain, which
runs northerly from the eastern ter-
minus of the Erie and enters the head
of Lake Champlain; (3) the Oswego,
which starts north, midway on the line
of the Erie, and reaches Lake Ontario;
(4) the Cayuga and Seneca, which
leaves the Erie a little to the west of
the Oswego junction and extends
south, first to Cayuga lake and then
to Seneca lake.

The original Erie canal was begun
in 1817 and finished in 1825. It had a
bottom width of 28 feet, a width
at water-surface of 40 feet and
4 feet depth of water. The first
enlargement was made between 1836
and 1862. At that time the sec-
tion of waterway was 70 feet at water-
line, 521/^ or 56 feet at bottom, ac-
cording to slope of sides, and 7 feet
deep. The second enlargement was
begun in 1896, when a depth of 9 feet
was attempted, but this work was
completed only at disconnected local-
ities.

The original Champ'ain canal, be-
gun in 1817 and finished in 1823, had
widths of 26 and 40 feet, respectively,

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

20D

at bottom and water-surface, and 4
feet depth. In 1860 widths of 35 and
50 feet, respectively, at bottom and
water-line, and a depth of 5 feet were
authorized. In 1870 increased widths
of 44 and 58 feet, respectively, and a
depth of 7 feet were ordered by the
legislature. This improvement, how-
ever, was not completed. The en-
largement of 1896-8 called for a depth
of 7 feet, but this work also was not
completed.

The original Oswego canal, which
was begun in 1825 and linished in
1828, had the same dimensions as the
original Champlain, namely, 26 and 40
by 4 feet. The first enlargement was
started in 1852 and completed in 1862,
and gave a channel of the same size
as the Erie at that time — 52 1/^ and 70
by 7 feet. The second enlargement,
that of 1896-8, was also similar to that
of the Erie, a depth of 9 feet being at-
tempted, but the work was never
wholly completed.

The original prism of the Cayuga
and Seneca Canal, which was con-
structed between 1826 and 1828, was
the same in size as the Erie, 28 and
40 by 4 feet. The first enlargement,
accomplished from 1854 to 1862, was
also similar to that of the Erie — 52 1/^
and 70 by 7 feet. This branch did not
share with the other three in the en-
largement of 1896-8.

The dimensions of the present en-
largement, or Barge canal improve-
ment, are the same for all four
branches of the system. Briefly it
may be stated that the law requires a
channel at least 75 feet wide at the
bottom and having 12 feet of water.
In rivers and lakes the width is 200
feet, and 72 per cent of the length of
the whole system is in river or lake
channel. The locks are 328 feet long
between gates, 45 feet wide, and have
12 feet of water over the sills.

These few pages cannot give any
detailed account of route or of struc-
tures. The description might be ex-
tended indefinitely, for there is much
of interest to be found throughout the
440 miles of construction and the 350
miles of intervening lakes or adjoin-
ing rivers.

In general it may be stated that the
Barge canal project is largely a river
canalization scheme. Previous state
canals have been chiefly independent,
or artificial channe!s, built in several
instances on cross-country locations.
Now, however, the route returns to the
natural watercourses. The bed or the
valley of the Mohawk is utilized from
the Hudson to the old portage near
Rome. Then Wood creek, Oneida
lake, and Oneida, Seneca and Clyde
rivers are used, carrying the channel
to the western part of the state, where
the streams run north and the align-
ment of the old channel is retained

for the new canal. The other branches
of the Barge canal occupy natural
streams throughout most of their
lengths.

'the accompanying statistical tabu-
lation gives some of the leading facts
concerning the Barge canal:

(As certain plans are still under
consideration, the following figures
are subject to change. All canals are
meant, unless otherwise specified.)

Erie branch, length of canal, not in-
cluding Hudson and Niagara river
termini, 323.2 miles. Erie branch,
number of locks, 35. Oneida lake, not
included in above mileage, no improve-
ment needed, about 19 miles. Spurs
to Erie branch (Syracuse and Roch-
ester harbors), 10.26 miles. Cham-
plain branch, length of canal, 61.5
miles. Champlain branch, number of
locks, 11. Oswego branch, canal, 22.8
miles. Oswego branch, number of
locks, 7. Cayuga and Seneca branch,
length of canal (including spurs
at heads of lakes), approximate,
27.3 miles. Cayuga and Seneca branch,
number of locks, 4. Cayuga and Sen-
eca lakes, portions needing no im-
provement and not included in above
mileage, 65 miles. Width of channel,
land line, earth section, bottom, mini-
mum, 75 feet. Width of channel, land
line, earth section, water-surface, 123
to 171 feet. Width of channel, land
line, rock section, bottom, minimum,
94 feet. Width of channel, river line,
bottom, generally, 200' feet. Depth of
channel, land line and minimum river
line, 12 feet. Locks, length between
gates, 328 feet. Locks, available
length, 310 feet. Locks, width of
chamber, 45 feet. Locks, depth of
water on sills, 12 feet. Dams, new, 28.
Dams, old, with new crests, 6. Dams,
old, used without change, 5. Bridges,
199. Boats, capacity, utilizing full
lock width, about 3,000 tons. Boats,
capacity, built for two to pass in most
restricted channel and for two, trav-
eling tandem, to be locked at one lock-
age, about 1,500 tons. Authorization of
work (Erie, Champlain and Oswego
canals), chapter 147, laws of 1903. Au-
thorization of work (Cayuga and Sen-
eca canal), chapter 391, laws of 1909.
Appropriation (Erie, Champlain and
Oswego canals), $101,000,000. Appro-
priation (Cayuga and Seneca canal),
.$7,000,000. Construction work begun
(Champlain canal), April 24, 1905.
Construction work begun (Erie canal),
June 7, 1905. Excavation, preliminary
(1903) estimate, not including work
for dams, bridges, highway, railway,
and stream changes and other small
items (Erie, Champlain and Oswego
canals), 132,225,800 cubic yards. Ex-
cavation contract plans (Erie, Cham-
plain and Oswego canals), approxi-
mate, 105,000,000 culuc yards. Exca-
vation, contract plans (Cayuga and

256

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Seneca canal), approximate, 9,100,000
cubic yards. Concrete, preliminary
(1903) estimate (Erie, Champlain and
Oswego cana.s), 3,243,100 cubic yards.
Concrete, contract plans (Erie, Ciiam-
plain and Oswego canals), approxi-
mate, 2,600,000 cubic yards. Concrete,
contract plans (Cayuga and Seneca
canal), approximate, 150,000 cubic
yards,

In the summer of 1913, a party com-
posed of representatives of the Buf-
falo Chamber of Commerce made a
tour of the Barge canal in company
with State Engineer John A. Bensel
and some of his official staff. The rec-
ord of this very interesting trip was
embodied in the August (1913) issue of
the "Live Wire," a periodical put out by
the Buffalo institution mentioned. The
number was profusely illustrated with
views of the canal. This publication
is particularly interesting considering
the remarkable fact that this great
engineering work — the Barge canal —
has received but trifling publicity
from the papers of the state during
its construction. The great lake me-
tropolis of Western New York appre-
ciates the tremendous advantages that
will accrue to it from the canal and
its men of business showed their fore-
sight and intelligence in making the
trip referred to. Not only Buffalo but
the whole east and even the world at
large must feel the trade, business and
commercial impetus of the Barge
canal. But New York state is bound
to be the greatest gainer by this pub-
lic work, which is justly entitled to
the name of "the Grand Canal" — a title
the people along the Erie canal gave
to that waterway during its period of
construction.

State Engineer John A. Bensel, in a
recent article on this subject, points
out that about 71 per cent of the ter-
ritory of the state lies within 50 miles
of the Barge canal, that three-quar-
ters of the population of the state live
within two miles of the new waterway,
and that the Barge canal goes through
the most thickly-populated section in
the United States.

The "Live Wire" gives the following
interesting comparisons between the
Barge canal and the Panama canal:

Barge canal — 540 m.iles long; total
lockage lift, 1,050 feet; dams, 39;
locks, 57 lift, 2 guard and 9 smaller
locks; number of structures, between
350 and 400; cost, $127,800,000; built
by state with a population of 9,000,000;
excavation, estimated total, 114,100,000
cubic yards; concrete, estimated total,
2,750,000 cubic yards; excavation to
January 1, 1913, 78,428,286 cubic yards;
work begun, April 24, 1905.

Panama canal — 50 miles long; total
lockage lift, 170 feet; dams, 4; locks,
6 pairs; number of structures, 12
locks, 1 spillway and 4 dams; cost,
$375,000,000; built by United States
with a population of 90,000,000; exca-
vation, estimated total, 203,710,000 cu-
])ic yards; concrete, estimated total,
5,000,000 cubic yards; excavation to
January 1, 1913, 188,280,312 cubic
yards; work begun by Americans, May
4, 1904.

"Buffalo Live Wire" of August, 1913,
covered the whole subject of the Barge
canal, describing the central line from
Buffalo to Waterford on the Hudson,
the Cayuga and Seneca branch, the
great reservoirs, the Oswego branch
and the Champlain section. After
dealing with this great work westward
of Rome, the Barge canal work in the
Mohawk valley was treated — cover-
ing the ground from Rome to the Hud-,
son. Much of this concerns the terri-
tory covered in these chapters — the
middle Mohawk valley.

One of the Gargantuan tasks of the
Barge canal work was the relocating of
the New York Central railroad systems
through Rome. The tracks and ap-
purtenances were literally picked up
and carried a distance of three miles
and replaced, the total expense in-
volved being about $1,000,000. In the
doing of this work the New York Cen-
tral built three new bridges and raised
high, new embankments for its new
line.

In the publication referred to the
Delta and Hinckley reservoirs are de-
scribed as follows:

The total length of the Delta dam is
1,100 feet, the length of the spillway
being 300 feet. The maximum height
of masonry above rock is 100 feet, and
the approximate height of overfall

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

257

(pool to crest) 70 feet. The masonry
material used in this dam totaled 90,-
000 cubic yards. The contract price
for the entire work, including altera-
tions was $940,840. Details of con-
struction included canal relocation for
nearly two miles; a flight of lift locks
three lifts of 20.6 feet each; one lift
lock with a lift of 12.1 feet, and a re-
inforced concrete aqueduct, trunk,
about 208 feet long.

Other figures generating new ideas
concerning the bigness of the Delta
dam include statements to the effect
that the area of watershed served by
this dam totals 137 square miles. The
capacity of the reservoirs at crest level
is 2,750,000,000 cubic feet. The maxi-
mum depth at crest level is 70 feet,
while the average depth at crest level
is 23 feet. In the construction of this
dam the village of Delta was wiped
out and 295 buildings were removed;
ten miles of highways were submerg-
ed and seven locks and one aqueduct
were destroyed. The maximum flood
at the Delta dam is more than 8,000,-
000 cubic feet per second, while the
maximum regulated flood is 2,600 cubic
feet per second.

The Hinckley dam, like the Delta
dam, is located in Oneida county,
a few miles distant from Trenton Falls.
It is much larger than the Delta dam
and its construction gives to the state
a lake nine miles in length or one-
third again as big as the one at Delta.
[The Delta dam is on the upper Mo-
hawk river, about five iniles north of
Rome. The Hinckley reservoir at
Hinckley, on the West Canada creek,
about twenty-five miles north of Her-
kimer. Other reservoirs of this type
are contemplated in the Mohawk val-
ley— probably on the Schoharie or East
Canada creeks. The Hinckley reser-
voir is located both in Oneida and
Herkimer counties.]

In quantity of material used in the
construction of these two tremendous
dams there are surprisingly large fig-
ures, as indicated above. Take the
masonry material alone. It totals up-
wards of 200,000 cubic yards, which if
loaded into ordinary dump wagons,
would present a picture something
like this: By the time the first team
reached either the Delta or Hinckley
dams, the last wagon would be just
starting out of Charleston, South Caro-
lina. Or, if the procession were start-
ing from the west, the last wagon
would be at Springfield, Illinois, when
the first wagon was dumped.

The following from the Buffalo "Live
Wire," of August, 1913, gives a good
description of the Barge canal work
along the Mohawk river from Albany
to Utica:

One does not have to be an engineer.

an architect, nor yet a builder to ap-
preciate the many striking features of
this portion of the canal work. It is
fraught with romance at almost every
point. It is tinged with history all
along the valley of the Mohawk. The
old and the new intermingle, and there
is always something to study accord-
ing to the manner in which one's mind
inclines.

Considering merely the work itself,
four striking features of engineering
accomplishments stand out promi-
nently from the mass of detail in-
volved in the building of this section
of the canal. These features include
lock and dam construction, the prin-
ciple of movable dams, the canalizing
of the Mohawk river, and land cuts.

Starting at the Hudson river end of
the section, the first piece of lock and
dam construction encountered is the
lift from the Hudson river level to the
level of the Mohawk, a distance of 184
feet, or 14 feet more than the entire
lift in the entire Panama canal. This
184-foot lift is overcome by a series
of five locks which replace . 16 small
locks that are required to make the
same lift on the old canal. A great
saving in time of lockage has been
made here, for it will be possible for
barges to go through the new locks in
about one hour and 35 minutes, as
against 8 hours required to lift through
the 16 old locks.

At the entrance to the Mohawk river
(or land line level) two immense dams
have been constructed. The flr^ of
these is known as the Crescent dam
and the second as the Vischer's Ferry
dam. The Crescent dam is the more
impressive of the two and, as its
name implies, is constructed in the
form of a half-circle intersected on one
end by a large island. The dam is
complete except for five openings,
which still remain to be closed and
which cannot be finished until pending
litigation in which the state is involved
with toll bridge companies is settled,
or until the legislature enacts proposed
laws which will make it possible to
complete this work. In the meantime
an injunction stops further proceed-
ings.

Some idea of the size of Crescent
dam may be obtained when it is stated
that the total length of the structure
is 1,922 feet with a radius of 700 feet.
The height of crest above top of apron
is 39 feet. The width on the base is 42
feet and one-half inch. The width on
top is 11 feet, five inches. The rise of
the pool is about 27 feet, and the width
of the apron 40 feet. The total amount
of concrete used in the construction of
the dam was 54,360 cubic yards, and
the contract price for the work was
$466,438.78. The dam forms a lake
which varies in depth from 15 to 45
feet, and has a width of from one-half

258

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

mile to two miles, extending as far
up stream as Vischer's Ferry dam,
about 10 and one-lialf miles distant.

A tine power house has been built at
this dam which furnishes electric
power for the five locks known as the
Waterford Flight, the most distant of
these locks Vjeing fully two miles from
the dam. One gets some idea here of
the immensity of the floods along the
Mohawk river. Last spring, despite
the fact that the flood waters were
able to discharge through the five big
openings left in the dam, the space
proved insufficient and the flood
poured over the top of the dam struc-
ture.

The Vischer's Ferry dam forms a
lake varying in depth from 12 to 36
feet, and having a varying width of
from one-half to one and a quarter
miles. The lake is about 11 miles long.
This dam is complete and in operation
and as soon as the openings left in
the Crescent dam can be completed it
will be possible to use the new Barge
canal from Schenectady to the Hudson
river.

The contract price for the Vischer's
Ferry dam was $518,149.65. The total
length of the dam is nearly 2,000 feet.
The width of the base is about 40 and
one-half feet, and the width on top
nearly 11 and one-half feet. The
height of the crest above top of apron
is 36 feet, and the total width of the
apron is 38 feet. A total of 57,750
cubic yards of concrete was used in
this dam.

The construction of the locks and
dam at Vischer's Ferry and Crescent
was very difficult due to the floods and
because of the need to maintain navi-
gation on the present Erie canal.

From Schenectady westward there
are eight movable dams which are of
a type of construction that forms var-
ious pools to Little Falls. These mov-
able dams are raised out of the river
in winter and leave the stream in its
natural state, so that the dam does
not interfere in any way with the
floods. One of the largest of these
dams may be seen at Amsterdam. It
is 750 feet long and consists of three
spans, each of them 250 feet long.
This structure alone cost $800,000.

Pictures are printed in the August,
1913, (Buffalo) "Live Wire" of the
movable dams and bridges at Amster-
dam and Fort Plain. The Fort Plain
bridge has two spans of 250 feet each,
being 500 feet in length. This was the
first dam and bridge of its type com-
pleted in the valley. The eight mov-
able dams and locks in the river west-
ward from Schenectady to Little Falls
(a distance of about 60 miles) are at

the following locations: Rotterdam
Junction, Cranesville, Amsterdam,
Tribes Hill, Yosts (Randall), Canajo-
harie. Fort Plain, St. Johnsville.

Some of the most impressive work
a-ong the entire canal system may be
seen at Little Falls. The cut made
here is a veritable monster of rock ex-
cavation, the rock being igneous in
character and unusually hard. This
excavation, however, does not repre-
sent the principal difficulty in the work
here encountered. 1 he problem rather
hinges on the fact that the West
Shore and New York Central railroads,
the canal itself and the Mohawk river
ail come together at this point in a
narrow gorge, the situation being fur-
ther complicated by the presence of
mills and other industrial piants in the
gorge. Two old locks now being op-
erated here will simply be covered with
water and wont even be pulled out,
because when the waters are let in
there will be ample depth over them.
The new water level will be 20 feet
above that of the present Erie canal
water surface.

The highest lift lock ever constructed
in the world has been bmilt at Little
Falls. It has a total lift of 42 and
one-half feet, which is exactly one-
fourth of the entire lift of the entire
Panama canal.

The total cost of the work at Little
Falls, including lock construction, was
$950,000.

Having mastered marshes and quick-
sand and built the prism of the canal
across gorges and along lines highly
elevated above the surrounding coun-
try, the problem confronting State
Engineer John A. Bensel at Scotia, N.
Y., seemed simple at first. It appeared
to be a mere detail, although a large
one, of the general task of canalizing
the Mohawk river, and on the surface
apparently all that was called for was
the construction of a lock and dam.
When test pits were sunk, it revealed
an entirely different state of affairs,
for it was found necessary to sink
caissons in order that the underflow
of water in the river might be cut off.
This work, which is always dangerous,
was rendered more so by the fact that
some of the caissons had to be sunk
82 feet below the surface of the river.
A short time before the chamber mem-
bers inspected the work, two men lost
their lives in one of the caissons.

The construction work involved in
the building of the eight movable
locks and dams built incidental to the
canalizing of the Mohawk included
foundations of varied character, some
on rock, others in hardpan and lighter
material, making it necessary, where
the lighter material was encountered,
to enclose the entire structure with
sheet piling.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

259

RcasMlMt

THE SIX MOHAWK VALLEY COUNTIES.
Taken from the map issued by the State
Engineer and Surveyor's office, showinj; the
present (1913) waterways of the Mohawk
valley, the Barge, Erie and Black Kiver
canals. The Barge canal follows largely the
channel of the Mohawk river eastward from
Rome to Waterford, over 100 miles. The
heavy line represents the Barge canal. The
cities at or near the mouth of the Mohawk
are shown. The upper part of Herkimer
county is not represented, because its great
length would prevent the map coming with-
in the compass of this plate. It will be
noted that the Mohawk river flows through
a considerable part of Saratoga and Albany counties. The source of the Mohawk is shown
north of and outside the Oneida county line in Lewis county. A study of the map will show
that only comparatively small parts of the six Mohawk valley counties lie outside the Mo-
hawk valley watershed.

At Rocky Rift Feeder, Crescent and
Herkimer, three guard gates have
been built in order to confine the floods
in the Mohawk river. These gates are
the highest on the entire Barge canal
system, their height being 24 feet.
Sometimes the building of a lock In-
volves other tasks of considerable
magnitude. This was the case at
Sterling Creek, where it was necessary
to build a railroad bridge of very
heavy type for the main line of the
New York Central incidental to the
work of building the lock.

In the canalizing of the Mohawk
river from Crescent dam to Schenec-
tady, a very small amount of excava-
tion was required, inasmuch as the
two large dams forming the two lakes
already referred to gave sufficient
depth for navigation. In the canaliz-
ing work various kinds of material
were encountered, such as fine sand,
hardpan and rock. Where the rock
was encountered it was very difficult
to carry on the work, due to the nu-
merous floods for which the Mohawk
river is noted. In various places along
the river, at this season of the year.

one sees the river bed exposed, the
bottom being rock worn smooth by
the rush of waters, and it does not
require a vivid Imagination to picture
the spring floods tearing along the
unobstructed bed of the stream on
such a bottom and sweeping every-
thing before it.

The fine sand also presented serious
problems because it was always nec-
essary to maintain channels, an ex-
ceedingly difRcult task in soil of such
character. However, all these diffi-
culties have been overcome and the
entire canalizing work is under con-
tract and will be completed in order
to turn navigation through the new
Barge canal in 1915.

The excavation at this time [1913]
has been finished from Rotterdam to
Amsterdam, a distance of 10 miles.
The excavation ha^ also been com-
pleted from about half way between
Tribes Hill and Fonda to Canajoharie,
about 15 miles in all. From Fort Plain
to about one and one-half miles west
of St. Johnsville, excavation has also
been completed. From St. Johnsville
to Sterling Creek the excavating is

260

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

about 90 per cent finished, and from
Sterling Creek to Utica the canal
prism has been completed.

Taking into consideration that no
excavating will be necessary above the
two large dams, the canalizing of the
Mohawk river is about SO per cent fin-
ished in length.

From the Hudson river to tlie Mo-
hawk at Waterl'ord, the canal prism is
constructed in a new location. This
stretch includes the five locks known
as the Waterford Flight, already re-
ferred to as a lift which, in itself, is
14 feet higher than the total lift of the
entire Panama canal. This exception-
ally high lift was necessary in order
that the canal might pass around Co-
hoes falls and the dam at Cohoes. In
the vicinity of the Rocky Rift Feeder,
another line will be necessary for the
purpose of overcoming the slope in
the, Mohawk river and the Rocky Rift
Feeder dam, which stores water for
the maintenance of the present canal.

At Little Falls the new construction
follows the same lines as those of the
old canal. This is a land line con-
structed for the purpose of passing
around the falls at Little Falls.

From Herkimer east another land
line is provided for, the object being
to overcome the slope in the Mohawk
river. This is an exceptionally diffi-
cult piece of work in view of the fact
that navigation must be maintained in
the old canal.

From Sterling Creek west, the work
is similar as from Herkimer east, and
for the same reason — namely, that the
slope in the Mohawk river must be
overcome.

In the vicinity of Little Falls, con-
tracts still remain to be let for the
making of connections with the Mo-
hawk river above and below Little
Falls. The reasons for not placing
this work under contract at this time
are that this will have to be the last
piece of construction work between
Little Falls and the Hudson river, the
old canal being destroyed just east of
Little Falls lock and the water sur-
faces at this location will be materi-
ally changed.

All of the main structures between
Waterford and Utica have been com-
pleted with the exception of the lock
and dam at Scotia, where the work is
progressing in a very satisfactory
manner.

It is expected that all the Barge
canal work on this portion of the sys-
tem will be advanced to such a stage
that navigation will be turned through
the new canal in May, 1915.

The state engineer's report for 1913
contains the following: "The Barge
Canal Terminal Law provides that the

section of the present [1913 Erie] canal
system, from Rome to Mohawk, shall
be maintained as a part of the Barge
canal terminal system, but no provis-
ion is made for funds to construct the
necessary junction locks at Rome and
Mohawk." The report contains a map
showing the portions of the old Erie
canal cut off from the present Barge
canal. The report continues: "It is
evident that the question as to what
disposition shall be made of those por-
tions of the canals so cut off should
be one for the consideration of the
present [1913] legislature." The re-
port shows that there is a constitu-
tional provision prohibiting the sale of
canal lands but they have nevertheless
been sold by the state, in the past,
after they have been abandoned for
canal purposes. The state engineer
suggests proper legislation to dispose
of abandoned canals and canal lands,
which do not enter into the present
and projected enlarged canal system
of the state, and also an enactment to
provide for the locks aforementioned
at Rome and Mohawk. In case of these
locks, being constructed a stretch of
the old Erie canal, about 25 miles long,
will remain in use and this will
probably be all that will be left of the
Mohawk river section of the old Erie
canal. The disposition of the rest of
the canal bed and adjacent lands in the
Mohawk valley is a present das'- [1913]
subject of speculation.

By chapter 190 of the laws of 1911,
the state engineer was directed to
make a survey for the ultimate pur-
pose of improving the Black river for
navigation between the state dam at
Carthage and Sacketts Harbor on
Lake Ontario. A full description of
this route is in the 1913 report afore-
mentioned. A summary of the cost of
this waterway construction is $16,300,-
000, for a canal having prism and locks
of the same size as the Barge canal
improvement. It is not impossible
that the Black river and canal may be
similarly canalized in the future and
that picturesque and once important
old trade route will come into its own
once more, after years of disuse. This
would form an important link in the

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

261

future great waterways of the state
and would connect with the Barge
canal at Rome.

The carrying capacity of the Barge
canal may be clearly appreciated when
the fact is considered that one 1,500
ton barge will carry a load equal to
that of the average 50-car freight
train of the present day (1913). A
3,000 ton barge, or two 1,500 ton barges
running tandem, have a cargo ton-
nage equal to that of a 100 freight car
train. It is probable that the rail-
roads have approached their extreme
capacity as freight carriers, as regards
the load per train under present con-
ditions. Therefore it seems that the
Mohawk waterway has a great future
as a carrier of slow freight. It would
be indeed interesting to know just
what the situation will be a century
hence with regard to the rival abili-
ties of the railroads and the Barge
canal as freight carriers. The writer
believes the carrying capacity of the
Barge canal may be still further in-
creased, if conditions demand it. To
provide a depth of water, which may
be necessary for present and future
waterway, needs that the greatest care
should be taken of the water supply
of the Mohawk watershed; reforesting
barren wastes where possible to pro-
vide woods to hold the water in the
soil and also in the provision of a more
than ample reservoir system.

The Barge canal dredges have in
many sections covered the Mohawk's
banks high with spoil from the river
bottom. It is suggested here that this
ugly condition be done away with and
the river banks strengthened by the
planting of shrubbery and trees along
the entire river course. The disfig-
urement of a stream, as world-noted
for its beauty as the Mohawk, is not
to be taken lightly and the state should
endeavor to retain as much of its at-
tractiveness as possible. Formerly the
shores were lined with beautiful trees
and the replanting of them will renew
the river's charm as much as possible
and strengthen the banks against the
wash of the current.

It seems appropriate that the Mo-
hawk should be the location of one of

the world's greatest canals, inasmuch
as the eastern end of its valley was
settled by people from Holland, the
country which may be fittingly termed
the "mother of canals." Of the Mo-
hawk valley section of the Barge canal,
western Montgomery county forms al-
most the center.

In 1912 and 1913 inquiries, as to the
safety of the Hinckley Barge canal
reservoir, were made of the oflice of
the State Engineer and Surveyor. The
villages of Poland, Newport, Middle-
ville and Herkimer all lie in the West
Canada creek valley, in which is lo-
cated the Hinckley reservoir. These
four villages all joined in a request for
information as to the safety of the
Hinckley dain in 1913. A special re-
port was made by State Engineer Ben-
sel on the subject, which showed un-
usual precautions for the safety of this
structure had been taken, which should
guard it against any damage from
even the greatest floods. The subject
suggests that an inspection of all stor-
age reservoirs on the Mohawk and its
tributaries should be made annually
liy the proper parties.

Some opposition to the Barge canal
has been offered by people who hoped
to see a ship canal supplant the Erie.
It seems to be the consensus of expert
opinion that such a waterway is im-
practicable. However conditions
change and it is not improbable that
the Barge canal will prove to be a step
toward a greater waterway, perhaps a
century hence, which will connect the
Hudson with the Great Lakes by way
of the Mohawk river, Oneida lake and
river and the Oswego river to Lake
Ontario and thence to Lake Erie and
westward by means of a canal around
Niagara Falls. The carrying capacity
of both railroads and Barge canal will
probably soon be overtaxed by the east
and west freight trafHc.

At last the people of New York
state are taking an advanced and en-
lightened position in regard to the
great transportation advantage's of
their natural waterways, and their
present development brings out
strongly the keen insight and knowl-
edge of the possibilities of inland

262

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

waterway traffic displayed by Wash-
ington in tlie extract from his letter
which heads this chapter and which
was written anent his visit to the Mo-
hawk river section of the present
Barge canal.

Martin Schenck, who, as state en-
gineer in his report of 1892, first pub-
licly proposed the Barge canal, was
born on the Schenck farm at Schenck's
Hollow, in the town of Palatine, near
the Nose, where the Montgomery
county home is now located. The first
Schenck (Peter) came to Long Island,
in New York state, in 1650, from Hol-
land. A descendant, Ralph Schenck,
moved to Johnstown during the Revo-
lution. He was an active patriot and
soldier, serving at Monmouth and
Cowpens, among other fields, and held
the rank of lieutenant. His son Wil-
liam bought the Jelles Fonda place
from John DeWandelaer at the mouth
of the Kanagara or Knauderack, which
later became known as Schenck's and
Schenck's Hollow. Major Jelles

Fonda had here a store and a mill and
a fine brick house (said to have been
one of the best in the valley), all of
which property was burned by John-
son in his first raid of 1780. William
Schenck here had a grist mill, saw
mill, fulling mill, plaster mill, cider
mill, blacksmith shop and cooper shop
in the early nineteenth century, making
it a place of considerable importance.
Here, about or before 1830, he built a
fine brick house, which is now the
main building of the Montgomery
county home, the farm ha\ing been ac-
quired by the county about 1900. The
Schenck place is one of the most noted
of the historic farms and dwellings
along the Mohawk, being a large, well
kept place, situated amidst beautiful
surroundings. It, however, has the
unenviable reputation of being located
on the banks of a stream, which is one
of the few haunts of rattlesnakes in
the valley.

Benjamin Schenck, son of William
Schenck, was the father of Martin
Schenck, who was born at the Schenck
place in 1848. He studied civil engi-
neering at Union college and liecame

engaged in railroad and general engi-
neering and contracting work. In 1874
he was elected to the assembly from
Montgomery county. He was later an
engineer employed in West Shore rail-
road construction and in 1883 became
connected with the canal department.
In 1892 Martin Schenck was elected
state engineer and surveyor and
served as such until 1894.

CHAPTER V.

1911, August 14-25, Atwood's 1,266-
Mile Flight From St. Louis to New
York — Flies 95 Miles From Syracuse
to Nelliston, August 22 and Stays
Overnight at Fort Plain — Flies 66
Miles From Nelliston to Castleton,
August 23, With a Stop in Glen for
Repairs — "Following the Mohawk."

This chapter, relative to the first
aeroplane flight through the Mohawk
valley, is the seventh and last chapter
treating of valley transportation. The
others have covered early Mohawk
river traffic, bridges, turnpike travel,
Erie canal, railroads and Barge canal.

In 1911 Harry N. Atwood made a
flight by aeroplane from St. Louis to
New York, a distance by air of 1,266
miles. It was an epoch-making
event in the history of aviation
and formed a fitting chapter in
the long record of travel and trans-
portation along the Mohawk, for At-
wood followed our river in his air
journej' through this part of the state.
Birds of passage follow the same route
from lakes to coast and in the summer
of 1912 the writer saw three gulls fly-
ing westward over the river from the
porch of the Haymarket club front-
ing the river and north of Fort Plain.
This is a sight which has been noted
frequently and it was fitting that the
first bird man who flew over Central
New York should follow the same air
path. The St. Louis-New York flight
up to date (1913) remains one of the
most noteworthy accomplishments of
aviation the world over. Atwood had
fiown from Boston to Washington,
June 30 -July, 1911, and this was, up to
that time, the longest cross country
air journey made in the western hem-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

263

isphere, eclipsing Curtiss's great flight
down the Hudson from Albany to New
York, the previous year. 1910.

Harry N. Atwood left St. Louis
August 14, 1911, and reached Chicago,
283 miles away in 6 hours and 32 min-
utes, the same day. He made Buffalo,
August 19, and his flight through New
York state with the distances and the
places he reached each day are as fol-
lows: August 20, Buffalo to Lyons, 104
miles; August 21, Lyons to Belle Isle
(near Syracuse), 40 miles; August 22,
Belle Isle to Fort Plain, 95 miles; Au-
gust 23, Fort Plain to Castleton (on
the Hudson), 66 miles; August 24,
Castleton to Nyack, 109 miles; August
25, Nyack to New York, 28 miles. Dur-
ation of flight, 12 days. Net flying
time 28 hrs., 53 min. Average speed
43.9 miles per hr. Air distance covered,
1,266 miles.

The following is from the Fort Plain
Standard of August 24, 1911:

With the ease, grace and confidence
of a huge eagle, from out of the west-
ern sky Tuesday evening came young
Atwood, the St. Louis-to-New York
aviator, and it was the good fortune
of Nelliston and Fort Plain to get for
nothing that for which many cities
paid big money — the presence of the
foremost bird-man of them all so far
as long flights in a short time is con-
cerned. The sight afforded as At-
wood came within the vision of the
thousands watching intently for him —
at first little more than a speck sur-
rounded by a whirl — was one that will
never be forgotten by those who wit-
nessed it. Steadily drawing nearer
and nearer, for a time coming as
straight as the proverbial gun-barrel,
and then suddenly shifting to his right,
but only for a brief period, the bold
but cautious aviator seemed to be
searching for a safe place to land.
Suddenly resuming his course, some-
what south of east, he dashed over
the mill portion of Fort Plain and over
the Mohawk river, spied the vacant
lot in the rear of the E. I. Nellis home-
stead. Nelliston and a'ighted like a
graceful, high-flying bird desirous of
spending the night in seclusion and in
comfort.

All this happened from shortly be-
fore 7 o'clock Tuesday evening, Aug.
22, 1911 (screw the date to your mind),
when Atwood was first discovered
by the thousands watching and wait-
ing for him, until exactly 7 o'clock,
when he alighted •safe and sound at
the point mentioned. And it was cer-

tainly a novel, thrilling, never-to-be-
forgotten sight to behold man and ma-
chine come from out of the sky — a
phenomenon — and a few moments
later, through landing, shift himself
into a mere human being exciting won-
derment by the aid of mere man's
cleverness.

With a wild rush many of the
thousands who had long waited for
Atwood, expecting only to see him
pass over Fort Plain, hastened to the
scene, of the landing, and tlie shouts
of people, mingled with the noise of
automobi es. motorcycles, clatter of
hoofs and rumbling of wagons, quickly
caused that which was apparently
chaos and pandemonium.

The surging, seething mob soon sur-
rounded man and machine, and he,
coolest of the wild assemblage, made
every effort (and with success) to
save his biplane from damage. At-
wood begged, expostulated and warned
and was quickly aided in his efforts
by men who realized the all but help-
less predicament in which the aviator,
far from police protection, found him-
self through the intense enthusiasm
of the admiring but rash, thoughtless
thousands. But all's well that ends
well, for despite the eagerness of the
crowd, no damage was caused to the
biplane.

After assuring himself that the ma-
chine was safe and in good hands,
Atwood was brought to Hotel Greeley
by autoist Harold Gray, and from the
t:me the car left the Nellis aviation
field until the wash-room of said ho-
tel was reached, Atwood was cheered,
shouted at and greeted with yells of
admiration and encouragement from
lusty thousands. And then (prosaic
mortal that he is) he ate a hearty
supper heartily! And all the time peo-
ple and then more people, were ar-
riving in front of Hotel Greeley, and
the big crowd included the Old band,
and the J. J. Witter Fife, Drum and
Bugle corps. Noise? That isn't quite
the word, but it will suffice.

When the cause of it all felt suf-
ficiently rested and refreshed, he was
escorted from the Greeley grill room
to Canal street by Postmaster Scott
and was cheered, cheered and then
cheered, and then introduced to the
crowd, after which came a modest,
well-put, brief expression of thanks
for the cordial greeting. And then the
Old band turned 'oose "Come Josephine
in Mv Flying Machine." Rather pat,
that Old band, eh?

When he could break away without
causing displeasure, Atwood, with
others, returned to the Nellis lot. lo-
cated the biplane carefully for the
night, and then came back to Hotel
Greeley, where the aviator retired
about midnight, after leaving a call for
5.30.

264

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Atwood came from Little Falls to
Fort Plain, 16 miles, in 18 minutes.

The daring aviator was in constant
demand for interviews, via the tele-
phone, and to the Albany Knicker-
bocker Press he said:

"I arrived in Fort Plain at 7 o'clock
this evening from Amboy, which place
I left at 5 o'clock. For the last five
miles of the flight I was watching for
a decent landing place, and Fort Plain
looked good to me. I have been used
better by the people here than at any
place on the flight."

When Atwood landed the first person
his eyes encountered was a boy, to
whom he put this:

"Where the devil am I?"

"In the Nellis pasture," came the
startling response from the startled
lad.

Just the least bit indefinite, that, to
a stranger dropping out of the clouds
after flying nearly 100 miles.

Cheerfully responding to the first
knock on his door yesterday morning,
Atwood, after breakfasting, was again
taken to the Nellis lot by Harold Gray,
and after carefully ascertaining that
all was well, made a get-away at 7.25,
the journey being preceded by two
circles, made high in the air, that add-
ed to his reputation for cleverness and
generosity and astounded the hundreds
of awed spectators, who all but
breathlessly stared after the daring
aviator till staring was useless — he
was out of sight, but not out of mind!

Atwood arrived at his Wednesday
morning destination, Castleton. 70
miles from here, at 9.15. Slow going,
which is explained l)y the following
from last night's Amsterdam Recorder:
"Members of Minch's band, bound for
the Sunday school picnic at Charles-
ton Four Corners, had the pleasure of
meeting Atwood while on their way
south. The aviator was obliged to
land in consequence of a leaking gas-
oline tank and alighted easily, on the
Jay Blood farm, in the town of Glen,
about a mile northeast of Glen village.
He used a shoestring in making re-
pairs. The stop, which necessitated a
de'ay of about 20 minutes, was wit-
nessed by the bandmen, who, it may
be remarked, also stopped that length
of time. Bandmaster Conrad Minch
and his associates hastened to the field
to greet the daring birdman and lend
such assistance as they could, and
many of the residents of the neighbor-
hood also gathered about the ma-
chine, which came down in a small
gulley. When repairs had been made
the Amsterdam musicians all of whom
had shaken hands with Atwood, as-
sisted with willing hands to move the
biplane to a more elevated position,
from which the aviator speedily rose
and after circling about in gratitude

for the assistance given him, resuined
his flight eastward. Atwood said that
there had been a leakage of gasoline
from the time he passed Palatine
Bridge and declared that his mechanic
should not have permitted his com-
mencing the flight with the machine
in the condition it was. Atwood told
those with whom he conversed that
because of the haze he had floated
away from the Mohawk valley and
asked how far he was from the river.
When told that it was about two
miles away Atwood responded, 'Well,
that isn't far. I will soon get back
to it.' "

"The Making of an Aviator" was the
title of a very interesting paper con-
tributed to the Saturday Evening
Post (Dec. 7, 1912) by Harry N. At-
wood. In it, under the subheading of
"Following the Mohawk" he described
his journey, in the air largely over the
valley, from Syracuse to Fort Plain,
although he does not mention the place
or Nelliston by name. This sketch
forms one of the most interesting
documents of flying yet published and
the Mohawk valley part is here re-
printed:

"The great future of the aeroplane —
its coming necessity to mankind and
its marvelous possibilities — was im-
pressed upon my mind most strongly
one night when I was making a leg of
my flight between the cities of St.
Louis and New York. Owing to the
inclemency of the weather I had been
obliged to remain upon the ground
until late in the afternoon. I was lo-
cated in a little valley in the hills just
outside the suburbs of Syracuse. In
accordance with my customary sched-
ule I desired to cover at least a hun-
dred miles more toward my destination.
At sunset the disturbing wind elements
suddenly died out and I immediately
prepared for flight. Ten minutes later
and the smoke of the city of Syracuse
was fast becoming a speck in the
western horizon.

"I shall never forget that beautiful
evening. The Mohawk river lay be-
neath me; but, as it wound in and
out between the hills, I would leave
its course for a few minutes at a time
and pick it up again at another point.
Twilight set in and the valley and the
river became very indistinct. The

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

265

tops of the hills and the mountains,
however, stood out clearly in the wan-
ing light.

"One by one I could make out the
lights of the farmhouses, thousands of
feet beneath me in the valley; and
they seemed to increase in number in
exactly the same manner as the stars
above me increased in number.

"Finally the Mohawk became
shrouded in darkness, and it was only
when passing over a lighted village or
town that I was able to distinguish
anything. I felt as if I were in a
dream.

"I gazed into the dark depths and
wondered what sensation the mortals
down there were experiencing as I
roared over their communities! I did
not experience any inability to keep
my equilibrium, but I did exi)erience a
peculiar sense of giddiness, which was
probably due to the unusual surround-
ings. Mile after mile I flew, high over

the valley, marveling at the wonders
of the situation and forgetting that
sooner or later I should be obliged to
make a landing. This realization
came to me very forcibly when I dis-
covered that it was almost impossible
to make out even the tops of the
mountains. Then I se'ected the first
hill I came to and began circling
round it in long spirals,' gradually
coming to it closer and closer. Finally
discovering an opening among the
trees, I dropped into it safely. [At Nel-
liston, opposite Fort Plain.]

"It seems to me that this experi-
ence alone demonstrates very clearly
the possibilities and the adaptability
of aviation to almost every type of
mankind. The only feature about it
that can be criticised or (piestioned is
the fact that it is accompanied Ijy con-
siderable danger; but it will not take
long for human ingenuity to eliminate
this one and only olistacle."

CHAPTER VI.

Geological Review of the Middle Mo-
hawk Valley by Abram Devendorf —
Lake Albany Covering the Old Mo-
hawk Country of Canajoharie, From
Little Falls to the Noses — The Gla-
cial Period — Surface Indications.
In a foregoing chapter some mention
has been made of the topography and
geological history of the Mohawk
river and its valley. The following
chapter on the geologj' of the middle
valley deals with the sultject in detail
and much of the interesting surface in-
dications of past glacial and water ac-
tion. It covers especially the old Mo-
hawk region of Canajoharie (later the
Palatine and Canajoharie districts),
the lower levels of which were at one
time covered by the waters of "Lake
Albany." This chapter has been kindly
written for this work by Abram Dev-
endorf of the town of Minden, for-
merly postmaster of Fort Plain and an
authority on the geology of the valle>'.
The reader is referred to any good
text book for the geological terms used
and a proper understanding of 'the dif-
ferent rock strata.

The Mohawk river flows through
one of the most ancient valleys on this
planet. It was once a mighty stream
which conveyed the waters of the
Great Lakes into the ocean at some
l)oint near Schenectady. The ocean
then extended up the Hudson valley
north and probably included Lakes
George and Champlain. Between
Schenectady and Albany is a delta
deposited there by the waters of the
Mohawk. The finer material was car-
ried along and formed the clay Iieds
at Albany and farther south. During
pre-glacial times this river was a
chain of lakes with outlets at the
Noses near Sprakers and at Little
Falls.

This valley di^•ides the eastern part
of New York state into two dissimilar
sections, viz: The Adirondacks on
the north and a dissected plateau on
the south. During the pre-Cambrian
period the rock formations of the Adi-
rondacks were deposited by the sea on
a floor of older rocks the nature of
which have never been determined
unless we infer that they were similar
to the dikes and intrusions found at

266

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

Little Falls and at several places in
the Adirondack region.

The rocks in the Adirondacks are
the oldest sedimentary rocks on the
earth's surface, indicating that this
region, including the Mohawk valley,
was below sea level at different times
and it is mere conjecture from what
source this material came to cover the
old floor which may have been in a
semi-fluid state except that the entire
state and the country beyond was cov-
ered by the waters of a shoreless ocean
with currents that carried the sedi-
ment possibly from many directions
and deposited this material on the
original foundation.

A similar condition existed in the
Mohawk valley except volcanic activity
was not as severe as it was farther
north, and if the structure of the orig-
inal floor could be ascertained it would
be found that it is not as crystalline
as it is in the northern part of the
state. The length of time required for
such a deposition has never been de-
ciphered; it is evident however "that
it involved a prodigious length of time.
The Mohawk valley was simply the
border land of the Adirondacks and too
remote from the heart of that region,
where igneous action was greatest, to
receive but a slight effect from this
volcanic activity.

At some later date there was a gen-
eral upheaval not only of the Adiron-
dacks but also of the Mohawk valley
until these two sections became a dry
land area and remained so lor many
ages. During this time the broken
surface from the upheaval, was worn
down by the erosive agencies and the
sediment carried by the Mohawk river
down to the sea. Igneous activity in
the northern part of the state con-
tinued during this period forming fis-
sures and great dike openings which
were filled with lava from the reser-
voirs of molten matter underneath.
The elevation of the Adirondacks must
have been se\eral hundred feet, if not
two to three thousand feet, above sea
level. The long protracted erosion
wore down the mountains and hills to
mere stumps leaving a low altitude.
While the last finishing touches of ero-

sion were given to the Adirondack
region the sea began to encroach on
this area from the north and continued
until the Mohawk valley was again
under water. The first deposit from
this subsidence formed the Potsdam
sandstone in the northern part of the
state and is entirely lacking in thi.s
county except one or two fringes along
the Fulton county border which bear a
resemblance to that found in St. Law-
rence county. The inference is that
the ocean had not yet enveloped this
entire area but was gradually en-
croaching over all the Adirondacks
and the Mohawk valley. The Potsdam
sandstone, a valuable building stone
quarried largely in St. Lawrence
county, is composed of coarse sand
and gravel deposited in shallow water
in which strong currents operated to
remove the mud. During the Potsdam
period Montgomery county was above
sea level, but subsidence continued
until this county was again under
water. For some reason now the char-
acter of the deposit changes. Instead
of a pure sandstone like the Potsdam,
the formation is a dolomite or calcif-
erous sandrock or, as it is now called,
Beekmantown limestone. This rock is
a peculiar formation not like ordi-
nary open sea deposits but more like
an inland sea deposit, the nature of
which is not exactly understood. It
is the first sedimentary deposit on the
old land surface in the Mohawk valley.
This formation contains but few fos-
sils. Animal and plant life existed only
in meager quantities. The lower lay-
ers are nearly barren of fossils but the
upper layers are fucoidal and some-
what changed in structure and char-
acter indicating a transition to an-
other period and a formation .entirely
different in composition — a lime stone,
highly fossiliferous and marine in na-
ture and known as the Trenton. Of
this series the Lowville or birdseye is
a very valuable quarry stone, thick
bedded and abounding in calcite filled
tubes, which adds to the looks of the
stone when dressed.

The Trenton beds were deposits
from ctear water and from an open sea
which probably existed south and east

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

267

of this continent. Some of the beds
of this series were deposited in slial-
low water and abound in shells.

Toward the close of the Trenton line
muds began to be washed into the pre-
\iously clear sea producing a series of
alternating limestone and shale bands
and later continuously giving rise to
the fine muds of the Utica formation.
This was followed by a change of life.
New species appear and the old be-
come extinct. This change however,
was gradual and required an immense
length of time. What currents brought
this muddy water into the clear sea
which existed during Trenton times is
an unsettled question, liut it probably
came from the ocean that covered this
continent to the westward and south-
ward.

Following this period of Utica slate
formation came a movement of dis-
turbance and uplift of the region of
the Adirondacks and the Mohawk val-
ley as far west as Rome, but the re-
mainder of the state remained sub-
merged and continued so until the last
layer of the Helderberg was deposited.
Then the sea receded westward and the
Helderl)erg mountains arose from the
sea. It is probable that during this
upheaval the faults at Little Falls,
East Creek, St. Johnsville, the Noses
and at Hoffmans were formed. The
uplift at Little Falls at that time was
several hundred feet and at the Noses
not so much. The escarpment at
either of these places was sufficient to
dam the waters of the Mohawk and
form the Utica and Albany lakes.
This time probably is coincident with
the upheaval of the Taconic range of
Massachusetts and a period of great
earthquakes which shook the valley
and distorted the rocks in every di-
rection.

The Chazy limestone which overlies
the Calciferous or Beekmantown in
the Chainplain valley is entirely ab-
sent in the Mohawk valley. Its absence
may be accounted for from the fact
that there was an uplift of this region
at the close of the Calciferous period
and the beginning of the Trenton.
This up'ift was only slight but suffic-
ient to stop deposition in the valley.

Then subsidence began and continued
without interruption during the Tren-
ton and Utica periods.

The only exposure of the pre-Cam-
l)rian rocks is at the Noses. It is a
variety of syenite called quartzose
gneiss and is the bed rock on which
was laid the Calciferous sandrock in-
stead of the Potsdam sandstone which
underlies the Calciferous in other lo-
calities. On the south side of the river
a short distance below Sprakers is a
fine exposure of the Calciferous con-
taining layers of dolomite, calcite and
drusy cavities. The upper strata have
plenty of fucoidal cavities filled with
calcite similar to the lower beds of
the Trenton.

From the time of the last deposit of
the Utica shales to the glacial period
involves an immense length of time
and during this time great changes
were taking place. The Helderberg
series were deposited, also the Onon-
daga, Hamilton, Portage and Chemung
groups — strata that measure several
thousand feet in thickness and Avhich
required millions of years to deposit.

When the Helderbergs emerged from
the sea and the waters of the ocean
were thrown back the agitation in the
valley must have been immense. At
this period the Mohawk valley, the
northern and eastern part of the state
must have been elevated several hun-
dred feet higher than it is now as the
Hudson river channel extended at least
50 miles farther south and the whole
state must have been a barren waste,
except what was covered by water.
But previous to this period, or during
the time the Utica slate was deposited,
some geologists claim that a continent
existed, occupying the area of the north
Atlantic, from which the muds came
to make the deposit of the Utica and
Hudson river shales. No land ani-
mals existed until centuries after and
the same is true of plant life except
the growth of lichens and mosses
which began to cover the Ijarren rocks.
The glacial period dates back many
thousand years. Some geologists say
at least 50,000 years and others think
a longer period elapsed. How long
this condition persisted, how many

268

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

times the ice came and went over the
immediate region we do not know.
There is no way to get_ at the time
even approximately. The gorge of the
Niagara river and the gorge on the
Mississippi river at St. Antony's Falls
furnish data for an approximate esti-
mate, but the length of time that the
northern part of this continent was
covered by ice and snow is very uncer-
tain, except that it must have been
centuries. This ice sheet, that moved
in a southeast direction, must have
been a mile in thickness and in its
movement, which was very slow, it
filled valleys, scooped out lakes and
tore down mountains. The first glacial
sheet that covered this state as far
south as the southern tier of counties
and which plowed out the Finger lakes
of the western part of the state and
Otsego lake and changed the water
courses of many streams, came from
the Labrador district. It is probable
as this ice sheet moved o^■er the Adi-
rondacks into the valley that it di-
vided at Little Falls. Part of it mov-
ing west and the remainder came down
the Mohawk valley to the Hudson
river. From the moraines strung
along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in
Ohio and the terraces formed by Lake
Warren, which covered the northwest,
and Lake Iroquois, which extended
some 30 or 40 miles farther east and
south than the present Lake Ontario,
would indicate that there were three
glacial periods or at least three reces-
sions. The Wisconsin glacier, which
covered the Great Lakes, extended far
over the western part of the state.
Previous to this time a river drained
the area now occupied by Lake Erie
and extended along the south shore of
the present Lake Ontario, either after
or before the tilting of this continent
which sent the waters of these lakes
into the Mississippi river by way of
Chicago. Geologists say that in about
3,000 years the same condition will
again exist and the waters of all the
lakes above the Falls instead of flow-
ing down the St. Lawrence valley will
find their way into the Mississippi val-
ley, and the great cataract at Niagara
will no longer exist.

Before the glacial period the rock
barrier at Little Falls was the divide
between Hudson and St. Lawrence
waters and later this barrier formed
a lake which extended probably as far
west as Rome. The West Canada
creek and other side streams filled this
depression with detritus carried down
from the north and south, forming a
delta which blocked the river for miles
above the barrier at Little Fal's.
About four miles south of Little Falls
is a low pass that leads from the
valley to Newville and down the Now-
adaga creek to Indian Castle which
may have been the ancient course of
the river previous to the glacial per-
iod. The upheaval of the rock bar-
rier occurred after the Utica slate de-
posit, due to a fault that extends far
north but disappears a short distance
south of the river in the town of Dan-
ube. This rock barrier must have been
600 feet high, at least high enough to
hold back the waters of the Mohawk,
which found an outlet by way of New-
ville. During glacial times the ice
wore away the softer rocks down to
the crystallines and the river assumed
its ancient channel.

The Labrador sheet of ice c'osed the
St. Lawrence river and held back the
waters of the Great Lakes and ex-
tended nearly to the southern boun-
daries of this state and over all of
New- England, and after the ice, in its
last northerly retreat, uncovered the
Mohawk valley but still lay aci'oss the
St. Lawrence, the drainage of the
Great Lakes passed to the sea by way
of the Mohawk, the eastern end of the
lake in the Ontario basin being at
Rome. The present river is but an in-
significant stream compared to the
mighty river that carried the waters
of the Great Lakes to the sea through
the Mohawk valley. The depth of
water in this stream estimated from
the terraces lining the valley was from
25 to 30 feet above the present flood
plain.

It is probable that during this epoch
the cold was not continuous. That
there were intervals of warmth that
caused the glacier to recede and after-
ward advance again is evident from

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

269

the different lines of deposit left by
the recession. The length of time
that the glacial sheet covered New
York state, or existed within tlie area
of the United States, is entirely prob-
lematical. At least several thousand
years elapsed before the climate be-
came normal as at the present time.
What caused this climatic change is
an open question and the different
theories advanced by geologists and
astronomers hardly account for such
a phenomenal climate. Some astrono-
mers claim that in the course of time
the same condition will recur.

The polar axis describes a circle in
the heavens in about 25,800 years and
at the present time the North Pole
points within one and one-half degrees
to the Polar star. In about 12,500
years the polar axis will point to the
constellation Lyra, and 2,000 years
later to the star Alpha in the handle
of the dipper (Ursa Major). Some
claim that this change in the earth's
axis may produce a change of climate
owing to the procession of the equi-
noxes which is caused by the change
in the polar axis of the earth.

The elevation theory advanced by
some geologists seems more plausible
as there are plenty of evidences that
this continent was several thousand
feet higher than it is at present. The
Cretaceous sea which covered the west-
ern and southwestern states and ex-
tended eastward to the Appalachian
range was the last important or exten-
sive body of water that covered this
continent and, at the close of this per-
iod, this continent became elevated to
such a height as to produce a frigid
climate. The Mississippi valley was
simply a depression through which the
waters of what are now the Great
Lakes flowed to the southern sea.
During this period of elevation the
Mississippi river wore out a channel
1,000 to 1,500 feet deep, which since
has been filled by silt and debris
brought down by the river. This an-
cient channel, which was at one time a
canon, extends some 40 miles into the
Gulf of Mexico.

Another theory is that the Gulf
stream, which originates in the equa-

torial regions, may have taken a dif-
ferent course. It is known that The
Japan current in the Pacific, as it
swings southward from the Aleutian
Islands along the coast of America,
modifies the climate of Washington
and Oregon, and the warm waters of
the Gulf Stream temper the climate of
England, which is north of the 51st
parallel and nearly on a line with Lab-
rador. If, by some seismic disturb-
ance, the Isthmus of Darien should
sink below sea level and the Gulf
Stream as it swings around through
the Carribean sea and enters the Gulf
of Mexico should instead pass into the
Pacific ocean, England would be as
cold as Labrador and New York state
nearly as cold, and it is probable that
the inland states would be as arid as
the plains east of the Rocky moun-
tains. It is the moisture of the Gulf
Stream which is carried far inland by
the south and east winds which gives
the middle states a moist climate.

The ancient terraces are still to be
seen along the valley. Two are quite
distinct and the traces of the third are
found at some places. In Fort Plain,
the Institute hill and Prospect hill un-
doubtedly were parts of the upper ter-
race, and West street is about on the
same horizon of the second terrace.
At Mindenville the third or lower ter-
race is plainly visible. These terraces
show the different levels of the Albany
lake which extended from the escarp-
ment at the Noses to the uplift at Lit-
tle Falls, and the different levels of
the Mohawk river during the time that
it was carrying the waters of Lake
Iroquois to the sea.

The glacier, as it came from the Ad-
irondacks and swung around into the
valley at Little Falls, carried with it
the loose material torn from the arch-
ean rocks of the north and the softer
shales and limestones lying nearer the
valley and deposited this glacial drift
along the river and as far south, in
this vicinity, as the southern part of
this county. The softer rocks as the
Utica slate, Trenton and Calciferous
were ground up by the ice sheet and
were left as a mantle covering the
land, making the different soils which

270

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

were afterwards modified by other
agencies. The glacier that moved
down the valley and across it left all
along drumlins and lateral moraines.
Some of these moraines were altered
by water. The finer material was car-
ried along and deposited as clay and
sand beds. Going south of this county
we find a different class of boulders
which indicates another stream of ice
different from that which went down
the valley and left a different soil in
the southern part of Canajoharie, Root
and Glen.

Fort Hill, one mile west of St. Johns-
ville, is a deposit of altered drift
carried there by the East Canada
creek and the river. There are layers
in this deposit where the gravel and
sand are cemented together in a solid
mass from the acids and carbonates
carried down from the crystalline
rocks and limestones. The drumlin,
or possibly a moraine, along the state
road between the two villages is of the
same origin. A great deal of this ma-
terial brought down by the East Can-
ada creek was deposited on the south
side of the river. The finer sediment
was carried along farther east and
foi-med the sand and clay beds of Min-
denville and St. Johnsville.

The streams that empty into the Mo-
hawk river on the south side of the
river are not as glaciated as those
coming from the north. Garoga creek
is lined by lateral moraines. This
stream during glacial time was several
times larger than it is as present and
during the long period that has elapsed
since it was filled with ice it has worn
a very deep channel and carried this
erosive material down to the river to
help build up islands and fill the river
channel. There is no doubt that the
clay and silt beds along the West
Shore railroad and the clay beds of
Institute hill (P'ort Plain) were depos-
• ited there by the Garoga creek.

Prospect hill (Fort Plain) is a very
interesting formation. It has a bold
front on two sides and is a remnant of
a much larger deposit which filled or at
least covered the plain on which Fort
Plain is located. Its outward appear-
ance looks like a delta, a fiuvile de-

posit by the Otsquago creek and the
Mohawk river. But it is not, neither
is it a drift deposit from the glacier
that came down the valley from the
north, as its composition is alluvium
with some sand and small stones from
nearby formations mixed with the
crystallines from the north. It is
piobable that during this time, the
glacier coming down the Otsquago val-
ley made this deposit while the valley
was covered with ice. This drumlin or
terminal moraine extends but a short
distance down the valley. Outside
Fort Plain, on the Starkville road
and on the Green farm, is a ter-
minal moraine lodged there by the
ice but which has been altered some-
what from the different courses that
the stream has taken during the cen-
turies since the glacial period. The
Otsquago valley was once filled by ice
and water as far south as Starkville.
The terraces along the line indicate
the height of water at that time and
are quite distinct all along. In and
along the creek and in the stone walls
along the Starkville road can be found
boulders of different sizes, from the
crystalline rocks' of the Adirondacks,
carried across the river and deposited
there as the ice melted. We find Gab-
bros, Diorites, Syenites and Anortisites
torn loose from the quarries in the
north and carried across the river
probably over the ice. In the creek,
near the Van Slyke saw mill, is a large
syenite boulder worn round and smooth
from the long distance which it trav-
eled. Its home undoubtedly was near
Lassellsville, where we find the same
formation from whence it was torn
and, in its travels, it was ground to its
present dimensions.

The terraces along the Otsquago
valley show the height of water of the
Albany lake. It is not so many cen-
turies ago that this lake disappeared.
It is probable that the early Aborigines
knew of it and according to a tradition
which has been handed down one day
the Great Spirit became angry and
swept across the lake and tore away
the barrier at the Nose to appease his
wrath. After the ice lobe had melted
in this valley the waters of the Great

THE >STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN '

271

Lakes continued to flow through the
valley, as the St. Lawrence was still
ice bound and continued so for a great
many years. It was during this time
that the gorge below Sprakers was
worn through, and also the barrier at
Little Falls was worn through. The
glacial drift strung along the valley
and the deposits which partially filled
the Albany and Utica lakes formed an
abrasive material and was more effec-
tive to wear away these barriers than
the glacial ice.

The flood plain of the present Mo-
hawk river is at least 15 feet above
the old river bed which has been filled
in by the debris brought down by the
liver and its tributaries. The Mohawk
flats is a deposit hy the river in times
of floods of alluvium very rich in vege-
table humus, which has made these
flats famous for the growth of cereals
and grass. The depth of this deposit
varies from 6 to 10 feet in thickness
and required centuries to form.

At the close of the glacial period and
during the early part of the Pleisto-
cene period, a large part of this conti-
nent was depressed 1,500 or 2,000 feet
and, in emerging, remained for a long
period at 400 or 500 feet below its pres-
ent level. All those parts, therefore,
which have now an elevation of less
than that amount, were beneath the
waters of the ocean. The glacier left
a mantle over the land of fine material,
interspersed with boulders, which was
modified by other agencies into the
present soil. During this long period
rivers and smaller streams had been
operating to carry the sediment and
other material from the hills down to
the valleys, and had dug out deep
channels by the abrasive materials
carried along by the rapid currents.
Partly in the village of Canajoharie, is
a deep canon worn through the drift
and the Utica slate by the waters of
Bowman's (Canajoharie) creek, which
came from a lake of water that cov-
ered the flat lands in the valley from
Ames westward and which received
the drainage from the Sharon and
Cherry Valley hills. Near Marshville,
along the state road, is a licustrine de-
posit of clay deposited there by the

still waters of a pleistocene lake
which emptied into Bowman's (Cana-
joharie) creek.

Finally, it was during this period
that the huge animals, like the masta-
don and a species of elephant, existed
and roamed over the northern part of
the United States, from the Hudson
valley to the Rocky mountains. Ac-
cording to tr&dition, the Indians saw
living mastodons, which is undoubt-
edly true. The climate was supposably
the same as today, on the general av-
erage. It is probable however, that the
polar current, which has a westerly
tendency into the Gulf of St. Law-
rence, may have chilled the waters
that covered parts of New England
and Canada. On the other hand, it is
probable that the Gulf Stream flowed
over the lower parts of the southern
states', which would have a tendency
to counteract the cold from the polar
current. The changes of that period
were similar to the changes which we
observe today and which will continue
in the future. TTie process of elevation
and depression is very slow and it will
require thousands of j^ears to make a
noticeable change in the general fea-
tures of the Mohawk valley.

Abram Devendorf.

Fort Plain, April 24, 1913.

CHAPTER VII.

Western Montgomery County Schools
— Supt. Alter's 1912 Report.

The school districts in western
Montgomery are divided among the
towns as follows: St. Johnsville, 4;
Canajoharie, 12; Minden, 17; Palatine,
11; Root, 13. Superintendent N. B.
Alter of this district, has kindly fur-
nished this work with the following
abstract of his 1912 report:

The District Superintendent of
Schools for the first district of Mont-
gomery county has completed making
the abstracts from the trustees' re-
ports for that district. Following is a
report of the school conditions in that
district. The figures include all of the
schools.

There are fifty-seven school districts
in this supervisory district and the
schools are housed in fifty-eight build-
ings— the village of St. Johnsville hav-
ing two buildings. Forty-eight of these

272

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

buildings aie frame buildings, five are
biick and ti\'e are stone. All of the
l-uiidings are of the old type except
eleven. Ihe total value of the school
house sites was placed at $14,030.
'ihere are only ten districts that own
sites which are as large as they should
be. 1 he \alue of the school i)uildings
and furniture is fixed at $145,339. The
apparatus is valued at $4,7S1 and the
libraries at $12,267. All other prop-
erty, including text books owned by
the school, is valued at ^2,210. There
are 15,892 volumes in the school li-
braries, 991 being added last year.

Oiie hundred and eight teachers were
reciuired to look after the educational
interests of the children, 'i hey held
the follo\\ing credentials: One State
certiricate, three College Graduate cer-
tificates, two College Graduate Lim-
ited certihcates, live College Profes-
sional certificates, live College Profes-
sional Limited, twenty-eight Normal
diplomas, twenty-two Teachers' Train-
ing Class certificates and forty-four
Commissioner's certificates. f liere
was also one temporary certificate for
part of the year. District number 2 in
the town of Minden, in addition to
maintaining a home school, also con-
tracted with the village of St. Johns-
ville for a part of the pupils in that
district. There were seventeen men
teachers and ninety-five women teach-
ers emplo.sed in the schools during the
year.

The law specifies that the schools
shall be in session at least thirty-two
weeks. Nineteen out of the fifty-seven
schools were satisfied with the mini-
mum requirement. However, the av-
erage term for the district was 175
days.

Another provision of the law is that
a census of all of the children between
the ages of 5 and IS must be taken
during the last week in August. Ac-
cording to figures submitted by the
trustees there were 2,558 children of
school age in the supervisory district
the first of September, 1911. The reg-
istration figures, which are absolutely
correct, show that there were 2,640
children in attendance during the year.
In addition to this there were 59 reg-
istered who were over 18. Of course,
some of those registered might have
been registered in other districts dur-
ing the year. The fact remains, never-
theless, that the census was not taken
in many of the districts. The average
daily attendance was 1,942, for pupils
between 5 and 18 and 43 for pupils
over 18.

The District superintendent made
263 official visits to the teachers vmder
his supervision ; 103 trees were planted
on the school grounds; 72 school rec-
ord certificates were issued. Eight ar-
rests were made in connection with

tlie Compulsory Education law. One
was committed to a truant school.

All of the schools carried a balance
o\ er to the last school year of $5,348.01.
Twei\'e lUousand, six liundred and fifty
dollars was received irom the state for
teachers' wages, $667.51 for libraries
and apparatus, $1,622.53 for tuition of
iicademic pupils and $813.46 academic
luiid for (luota and attendance; $89.26
was deducted from the teachers' wages
for the teachers' retirement fund;
$514.16 was received from individual
pupils for tuition and $55,866.09 was
raised Ijy tax; $3,608.01 was received
from all other sources. The village of
Canajoharie had the highest tax rate
— $12 per thousand of valuation. While
district number 2, town of Minden,
hiid the lowest, $2.73. We might add
that this district does not own the site
where the school house stands.

Wages were paid to teachers as fol-
lows: Principals received $7,750; men
teachers. $4,835; women teachers, $42,-
479.82.

Other expenses were as follows: Li-
braries, $1,002; text books, $102.34; ap-
paratus, $330.59; furniture, $501.92;
repair, insurance, etc., $3,745.40; bond-
ed indebtedness, principal. $2,000; in-
terest, $777.20. Only two districts now
have outstanding bonds. Two thous-
and, four hundred and ninety-eight
dollars and eighty cents was spent for
janitors' wages; fuel, light, etc., cost
$5,171.66; stationery and supplies,
$636.99; attendance officers for three
schools, $155. The towns pay the at-
tendance officers for the common school
districts. Some of the Union Free
schools ha\e their janitors act as at-
tendance officer and have reported the
cost in with the janitors' Avages. In-
cidental expenses claimed $2,598.34. A
balance of $6,659.55 remains.

Only two districts ha\e libraries of
50 volumes or less; 14 between 50 and
100 volumes; 25 with 100 to 200 vol-
umes; 11 have from 200 to 500 volumes;
one has between 500 and 1,000 volumes
and four have over 1,000 volumes in
their school libraries. Every district
has a school library.

The average school term in the dis-
trict was 175 days. There was an av-
erage of 26 pupils to a teacher. There
was an average daily attendance per
teacher of IS. The per cent of daily
attendance liased on total enrollment
was 69.5 per cent. The cost per pupil
based on the average daily attendance
was $37.50. The average weekly sal-
ary per teacher (this takes in the prin-
cipals, some of whom receive as high
as $40 per week) was $14.19. The av-
erage yearly salary was $509.86. The
lowest salary paid was $304.

It is a commonly accepted fact that
the country boy and girl longs for the
time when the country may be left be-
hind and the joys of the city be real-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

273

ized. Why? There must be a lack of
attraction to draw the best that is
produced in the country cityward.
Country life must be made more at-
tractive. The hard-headed farmer
must realize that the place to start
creating this attractiveness is in the
coimtry school. More money must be
spent for country schools and this
money must be spent in a better way.
It is time for the people in the country
to stop grumbling" about taxes and get
to work and place their school build-
ings in such shape that they will com-
pare favorably with their own homes.
Think of storing coal and wood in the
front hall of a home! Country folk
do not even criticise storing fuel in the
front hall of a school building. There
are no high school tax rates in Mont-
gomery county!

The District Superintendent asked a
trustee to repair a leaking roof — he
has a child in the school. He put it off
until after his fall work was finished.
It seems, to me that it must be uncom-
fortable to say the least, to have to sit
in a school room that is apt to drip
water upon the student.

The District Superintendent has
asked every trustee in his district to
buy slate blackboards for the schools.
One finally agreed to paint the old

boards at a cost of four dollars when
eight dollars would ha\'e bought a per-
manent board. In justice to the pro-
gressive trustees of the first district,
it may be added that twelve out of
forty -seven not having slate boards
havie recently put in slate. There are
more to follow.

Think of the farmer boys and girls
who are sent away from home for bet-
ter school advantages! It shows that
tlie farmer is at last coming to his own.

Often regret for the good old school
of thirty or forty years ago is heard — ■
from fifty to a hundred pupils to the
teacher. Three or four real bright
ones in the lot — ten per cent of the
whole getting what the whole are now
getting. People wish today to com-
pare the work of this little three or
four with the entire school population
today. Well they may do so for the
whole now compare most favorably
with that little three or four. If there
is any dispute about it, the matter can
easily be proven by a comparison with
the finished product of the "old school."

But this is not what we wish.
Schools today are good. They do, how-
ever, educate the boy and girl away
from the farm. The gospel of paint,
Ijlants and pictures must be preached.

CHAPTER VIII.
Deforestation and Reforestation — De-
nudation in Western Montgomery
County — Arbor Day — Adirondack and
National Forest Preserves — The For-
ests and the Water Supply.
In no part of the Mohawk watershed
has the denudation of the original for-
esct been more complete than in Mont-
gomery county. There is left none of
the virgin forest as the last piece of
the ancient woods was destroyed with-
in the past decade. Only a few scat-
tered patches of woods remain and
even they are being made w'ay with. In
view of the pitiful remains of the once
great wood of the Mohawk valley,
it seems incredible that this region
was once entirely covered by a mag-
nificent forest and that its trees fur-
nished giant masts for the greatest
sailing vessels and massive timbers
for construction and building purposes.
For the sake of the land, the rainfall
and the welfare of the inhabitants
scientific reforestation must be prac-
tised. It is hoped that nature study.

which is being largely taught Ameri-
can children today, will aid in the fu-.
ture, in an intelligent understanding of
the subject of forests. Our forefathers,
whom we praise so highly, seem to
have been utterly deficient in fore-
sight. Much of the land they cleared
so recklessly is useful only for wood
growing and its intelligent reforesta-
tion would have ensured many a far-
mer a sure, continuous and growing
income today with the increasing price
of all useful woods.

The case of the trees is so plain
that it hardly seems worth arguing.
Foreign lands from which the forests
have been removed have often become
worthless. Trees enrich the earth with
their leaves, their roots, forming a
network in the ground, hold the water,
prevent floods and consequent soil
erosion. Forest regions are blessed
with rain just as desert wastes repel
the water clouds. The constant tem-
perature of trees (54 degrees) tends
toward an equable temperature, win-
ter and summer. The continual cir-

274

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

culation of water from roots to leaves
and from leaves into the air tends to
make the earth healthful and properly
dTained and fills the air with the
moisture necessary to produce rain.
Without a proper water supply man
cannot exist and it has been truly said
that the population of a given area
depends more upon the rainfall of that
section than any other item. This
rainfall is essential, in this neighbor-
hood, for power purposes as the in-
creasing cost of fuel will force the
utilization of every stream available.
It is also needed to give a sufficient
depth of water in the Barge canal.
The rainfall of Central New York has
been steadily decreasing for a century,
doubtless due to continued deforesta-
tion. Trees purify the air and their
healthful properties are recognized V)y
the sick who seek to return to normal
conditions by living in the woods.

All waste places should be planted to
forests. Some trees, such as the valu-
able cedar, will grow where nothing
else will. All country roads should be
tree planted on both sides, also side
hills and all availabe places. Waste
and unused land in villages and towns
should be forested, including spaces
about schools. We have seen how at-
tractive a spot can be made by the
planting of trees and shrubs in the
example of the New York Central sta-
tion at Fort Plain. Every home
should be made (with native trees,
shrubs and flowers) at least as
attractive as a railroad station.
As a Mohawk valley writer has
truly said: "Learn about our grand
native trees and teach your children
about the land, its trees and their uses,
and your posterity will long live to
enjoy the naturally beautiful land you
have adopted." The New York Bo-
tanical Gardens, Bronx Borough, New
York city, publishes a work (price 25
cents) on "Native Trees of the Hudson
Valley." The Mohawk valley forms a
section of the Hudson valley and the
greater part of these are found in our
watershed. This is one of the most
instructive and cheapest works on our
native trees and is quite fully illus-
trated with examples of the chief vari-

eties. "Trees Every Child Should
Know" (50 cents) is part of a nature
library published by Doubleday, Page
& Co. and is an interesting book for
old and young.

A list of the principal native trees of
the Mohawk valley has been compiled,
from "Native Trees of the Hudson
Valley" and from the tree exhibits at
the New York Museum of Natural
History, as follows:

Pine, spruce, hemlock, fir, cedar, ar-
bor vitae, poplar, willow, basswood (or
linden), oak, elm, plane (also called
sycamore. buttonwood, buttonball),
maple, ash, birch, beech, hickory, but-
ternut, crabapple, plum, wild cherry,
choke cherry, hornbeam (iron wood),
hackberry (or sugarberry), service-
berry, witchhazel, sassafras, sour gum,
sweet viburnum, thorn, sumac. Many
of these trees have a number of varie-
ties. Some trees which are quite com-
mon, such as the horsechestnut, are
not native, but imported.

In sections distant from the Mo-
hawk considerable land is reverting to
wilderness, due to the abandonment of
farmlands. This abandoned land, how-
ever, generally runs to scrub growth
instead of to forest, as it would if
properly tree planted. In a few waste
places, in western Montgomery coun-
ty, young native trees have replanted
themselves and are reoccupying the
land. They are pleasant sights.

Not only have we seen the disap-
pearance of the virgin forest of the
Mohawk but we have also been wit-
nesses of the passing away of much of
the beautiful verdure which made the
Mohawk river such a picturesque
stream a quarter of a century and
more ago. The Barge canal is com-
pleting this destruction and it is up to
the state to replant where thej' have
destroyed, not only for the sake of
beauty but to protect the canalized-
river banks from the current. With
the introduction of electric lights in
the villages of western Montgomery
county, much of the foliage of the
trees in the streets has been mutilated
to allow the electric lights to illumi-
nate the surrounding grounds. Our
village trees have suffered more from

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

275

unintelligent trimming in the past
twenty years than in their whole life
previous. Some of our village trees
have grown to magnificent proportions
(particularly ©ur elms) and it is hoped
that they will be spared both trim-
ming and destruction. Shade trees ac-
tually need no trimming whatever.
The most beautiful specimens are
those which have been untouched, as
witness the Prospect hill (Fort Plain)
giant elm and the occasional meadow
elm, oak, maple, beech or pine which
has grown to stately and pleasing pro-
portions, untouched by the hand of
man.

In regard to the subject, the follow-
ing, from the bulletin of the Tree
Planting association, will be found of
interest:

How few realize as they pass a
tree on the street that, although si-
lent and llxed in its position, it is
.more intimately related to our lives
than any living object. It is only by
grace of that tree that we "live and
move and have our being" on this
earth. Destroy it and its kind and
human life would be impossible on
this planet.

Science teaches that the food of the
tree is the poisonous carbon dioxide
which we exhale at every breath, and
that the vitalizing element of the air
we inhale is the life-giving oxygen
which the tree through its leaves sup-
plies abundantly.

As we enter the shade of a tree in
full leafage, on a hot summer day,
we feel a thrill of energy which
quickens our footsteps, expands our
chests, brightens our thoughts, and
gives a new impulse to all our vital
processes. What has happened? We
have thrown out of our lungs the de-
pressing dioxide and replaced it with
the exhilarating oxygen from the
nearby tree.

If we cross one of our avenues on
a hot day when the temperature is
130 degrees F. and pass into the shade
of a tree we are refreshed by the cool
air. What makes the change? Not
the shade alone, but chiefly because
we are in the presence of a body that
has a fixed temperature of 54 de-
gree F.. or 76 degrees F. cooler than
the street. If on a cold winter's day
we pass from a temperature of the
street, at zero, into a group of trees,
we are surprised at the warmth. This
is not only due to the shelter they
afford, but more largely to the
warmth of the tree, which at 54 de-
grees E. is 54 degrees F. warmer than
the street.

These facts suggest that if our
streets were well supplied with vig-
orous tr^es we should have much
cooler summers and warmer winters,
as the temperature of the tree never
varies from 54 degrees F. in summer's
heat or winter's cold.

The tree has the power of absorb-
ing and thus removing from the air
the malarial emanations from the
street, and from putrifying waste
matter, so abundant in cities. In
tills respect they are the scavangers
of the air and protect people from
a large number of what are known
by sanitarians as "filth diseases."
The older physicians record the fact
that as the forests were removed new
and fatal fevers, hitherto unknown,
appeared.

Transpiration is another function
of a tree which contributes greatly
to man's comfort and health. This
act consists in absorbing large quan-
tities of water from the earth and
emitting it as by spraying, into the
surrounding air, by its leaves. This
is a very cooling process and tends
powerfully to reduce excessive tem-
perature in the vicinity of the tree.
The amount of water thus thrown
into the air by a single tree varies
with the weather, increasing as the
temperature rises and diminishing as
it falls.

The value of a single tree in thus
modifying temperature was strikingly
shown by the late Prof. Pierce of Har-
vard college, who made a mathemati-
cal study of the foliage of the famous
"Washington Elm." The tree was then
very old and decayed, but he found
that it bore a crop of 7,000,000 leaves,
exposing a surface of 200,000 square
feet, or about five acres of foliage.
Now, as one acre of grass emits into
the air 6,400 quarts of water in 24
hours, it follows that this old tree
sprayed into the surrounding air 32,-
000 quti.rts, or 8 000 gallons, or upward
of 260 barrels of water every day.

Concrete examples are necessary in
order to impress upon people certain
truths. The general public's familiar-
ity with Bible lands may help to show
forcibly, by the reading of the follow-
ing extract, the value of forests to all
lands — to the Mohawk valley as well
as to Palestine. The following is from
the Christian Herald:

One of the most remarkable illustra-
tions in all history of the ill effects of
the disappearance of forests may be
observed in Palestine. In the days
when Joshua conquered the promised
land Palestine was a wonderfully fer-
tile country, a land flowing with milk
and honey. The Lebanon mountains
were heavily wooded, and a large pop-
ulation was supported in comfort.

276

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

The general devastation of the for-
ests brought about, however, a grad-
ual deterioration of the couniry. The
hills of Galilee, which had long served
as pasture lands for large herds of
cattle and sheep, are now sterile. The
Jordan has become an insignificant
stream, and several smaller rivers are
now completely dried up throughout
the greater part of the year. Some few
valleys in which fertile earth washed
down from the hills has been deposited
have retained their old fertility. The
land today supports only one-sixth the
population of the time of Solomon.

New York state has taken the most
advanced position as to forestry of any
of the United States. Its Adirondack
state park, established by the act of
1892, will contain 2,800,000 acres when
completed and embraces the northern
part of Herkimer county, all of Ham-
ilton and parts of St. Lawrence, Frank-
lin, Essex and Warren counties, an
area equal to that of Connecticut.
This contains the highest peaks of the
Adirondacks, including the highest
peak, Mt. Marcy. The region is filled
with 1,200 lakes and is drained by
twenty large rivers. It is well stock-
ed with fish and game.

A considerable part of the northern
Mohawk valley watershed lies in the
Adirondack Park, as the headwaters of
the West Canada and East Canada
creeks are in this public domain. East
Canada creek, as we all know, forms
the western border of the town of St.
Johnsville in western Montgomery
county. Both those streams furnish
abundant water power and it is reas-
suring to know that their water flow
is largely protected by their sources
being within the Adirondack Park.
They also furnish a great volume of
water to the Barge canal and hence
their water supply is of the greatest
importance to New York state.

New York also has the Interstate
Park, as the west bank of the lower
Hudson, antl other forest lands.

Arbor Day was originally advocated
by the Nebraska State Board of Agri-
culture in 1874, the second Wednesday
in April being suggested as a school
holiday, trees to be planted on that
day and appropriate school exercises
to be held. This school observance of
this day has been adopted by about

forty states, New York among them.
In 1912, the school children of western
Montgomery county planted 103 trees
on their school grounds. Arbor Day
was established by New York state
about twenty- five years ago and if
the proportion of three planting has
been kept up during that tii^ie then
over 2,000 trees have been set out by
our school children, a record of which
they may be proud.

Our social and patriotic societies
might well aid the cause of forestry.
Our women's organizations could do
much toward the care, protection and
planting of village and countryside
trees. Also our fishing and sporting
clul)s should foster the woods on which
their sports and pleasure depend and
they should aim to protect the woods
as well as the game and to plant new
woods wherever possible. The busi-
ness men should, by acts and public
sentiment, aid the protection of our
watercourses and the forests of their
basins. On the woodlands of streams
used for power purposes depends the
constant supply of that power by the
conservation of the water. On this
conservation depends the electric
light, heat and power furnished by
these power developments, which will
form such a feature of communities in
the future, when coal and oil have be-
come exhausted in supply. This is
true of the West Canada and Caroga
creeks which have been electrically
developed and should also apply to the
valleys of all the larger streams of
western Montgomery which will be
utilized electrically in time.

There is at least one instance- of the
practical application of scientific ' for-
estry in the Mohawk valley. The local
officials of Dolgeville are interesting
themselves in a project to apply prin-
ciples of scientific forestry to the clas-
sification and cultivation of trees in
Schuyler Ingham Park, the lieautiful
' 100-acre tract of wooded hillside that
was given to the village by Mr.
Ingham. The proposition is to form a
park improvement society and ascer-
tain the best methods of tree culture,
so that a practical demonstration may
be had of what can be done along this
line.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

277

CHAPTER IX.

1894-1914 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty Hydro- Electric Development on
East and Caroga Creeks.

Few sections of New York of such
comparatively small area (about 125,-
000 acres) have seen such important
hydro-electric development within or
on its borders as western Montgomery
county. In the twenty years, from
1894 to 1914, has been witnessed the
erection of dams and power plants on
East creek and Caroga creek. With
the increasing cost of fuel other
streams may be electrically developed
and it is not improbable that the Ots-
quago, Canajoharie, Flat Creek, Yates-
ville, Zimmerman, Timmerman, Crum
creek and even other western Mont-
gomery county streams may be utilized
for electrical power purposes. Just as
it is now (1914) prophesied that the
old time sailing vessels will soon again
be carrying the slow freight of the
seas, so is the manufacturer again
turning to our first motive power —
water; and both for the same reason —
the increasing cost of coal and oil with
no prospect of relief. For the same
reason waterways, such as the Barge
canal, will be the heavy and slow
freight carriers of the future.

For hydro-electric development pur-
poses and to protect our waterways,
we must conserve our forests and
woods aliout the headwaters of the
streams utilized. This shows how the
subject of forestry has become import-
ant at it interlocks with so much of our
industrial and commercial life.

At Ephratah 5,400 H. P. is devel-
oped, at East Creek, 2,000 H. P., at
Ingham's Mills, 8,000 H. P. and at
Dolgeville 2,500 H. P., in all 17,900 H,
P. generated by East and Caroga
creeks, with possibilities of still fur-
ther increase.

This electric power is claimed to be
as cheap as any furnished in the east-
ern states and eventually is bound to
make the villages of western Mont-
gomery county industrial centers of
importance. The towns in western
Montgomery county, which are par-
ticularly interested in this electrical

generation are St. Johnsville, Fort
Plain-Neiliston and Canajoharie-Pala-
tine Bridge, while the villages or ham-
lets in western Fulton county inter-
ested in the development or use of
this power are Dolgeville (7 miles from
the Mohawk); Ingham's Mills, in the
town of Manheim and Oppenheim (4
miles from the Mohawk) ; Caroga, in
the town of Ephratah (9V> miles from
the Mohawk); Ephratah, in the town
of Ephratah (6 miles from the Mo-
hawk). The foregoing are all airline
distances.

The first conservation of water
power on a consideraVile scale in
Montgomery or Fulton counties seems
to have been accomplished by Am-
sterdam manufacturers. In 1848 a dam
was built across the Chuctanunda
above the Forest paper mill. In 1855
the Galway reservoir covering 450
acres (at Galway, Saratoga county,
northeast of Amsterdam), was built.
This was enlarged in 1865 and 1875 to
an area of stored water of 1,000 acres.
This water system has been largely
responsible for the industrial import-
ance of Amsterdam.

The following was written during
the summer of 1913 by William Irving
Walter of St. Johnsville with regard
to hydro-electric development of East
creek:

"A gradual development of the elec-
trical energy from the powers supplied
by the falls at East Creek and its pro-
gress in eliminating steam as a motive
l)ower in St. Johnsville, vicinity and, in
fact, thrnughout the Mohawk valley is
just beginning to attract a small por-
tion of the attention that such a fea-
ture in the never-ceasing industrial
revolution deserves. The announce-
ment that the Lion Manufacturing Co.,
the pioneer in the knitt'ng industry in
St. Johnsville, has just completed the
installation of electricity 'instead of
steam in all its departments excepting
for heating purposes, and that the
same work is now going forward in
the piano action factory of F. Engel-
hardt & Sons !s an epoch in the local
industrial development.

"This leaves steam as a motive power
only in the Union Mills (Royal Gem

278

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

knitting mills) and the Clark Machine
Co.'s works with the possibility that
these exceptions may at no distant day
be eliminated. This attracts public at-
tention to the great development of the
forces which for years ran to waste
unheeded at our doors, from the days
when the Mohawk, sole lord of the val-
ley passed the cataract with indifferent
eyes. 'As the brown bear l^lind and
dull to the grand and beautiful.' It
was in 1894, during one of the most
severe depressions the country has
ever known, that Guy R. Beardsley be-
gan the revival of East Creek as a fac-
tor in business conditions of the Mo-
hawk valley. We say revival, for at
the beginn-'ng of the nineteenth cen-
tury East Creek bid fair to become one
of the leading centers of the state.
John Beardslee (born in Sharon, Conn.,
November, 1759, died at East Creek
October 3, 1825), who came to the Mo-
hawk valley in 1787, as a builder and
a millwright, left his impress upon this
part of central New York. The con-
struction by the authorities of Mont-
gomery county of the old covered
bridge at East Creek, brought h'm to
East Creek where he purchased a large
tract of land and erected saw and
grist mills and a carding mill half a
mile north of the turnpike. These
were operated in 1794. These were
followed by stores, hotels, a. distillery,
nail factory, brewery, etc., until about
1800 'Beardslee's city' as it was col-
loquially termed had few if any su-
periors west of Schenectady. The
opening of the turnpike road giving
access to western New York and turn-
ing immigration that way, arid the
fact that only the ruder sorts of man-
ufacturing establishments were called
for in the social and industrial condi-
tions then existing, operated against
the permanence of the East Creek set-
tlement, and the construction and com-
pletion of the Er:e canal (1817-25)
completed its ruin. The settlement
dwindled until llnally the Jerome hotel.
the last survivor of the old East Creek
went out of existence about the time
Mr. Beardslee began the revival of
East Creek as an industrial factor.
Causes not to be discussed here post-

poned the conversion of the valley into
a great manufacturing hive until the
years succeeding the Civil war and al-
most simultaneously with the revival
of business which succeeded the de-
pression of 1893-7, the East Creek
Electric works passed from hope to
reality, March, 1898. Within a decade
and a half the electricity developed
l>y the East Creek Electric Light and
Power Co. has become a prime factor in
the industrial, economic and social life
of St. Johnsxille, Fort Plain, Canajo-
harie and Sharon Springs. It operates
the Fonda, Johnso.wn and Gloversville
railroad and rJso, in conjunction with
the Utica electric works, from Amster-
dam to Rome with the connecting
point at that marvelous falir:c of en-
gineering and electrical skill at Ing-
hams Mills.

"The Union Knitting Co. (Wesley
Allter & Son) was the first estab-
lishment in St. Johnsville to dis-
card steam for electricity and with the
present system of separate motors do-
ing away with so much shafting and
belting and the consequent waste of
power. In the piano works the amount
of power required is such that a sep-
arate sub-station for those extensive
works is now in course of construc-
tion.

"The Royal (now Royal Gem) knit-
ting mill founded in 1898 by J. H.
Reaney and O. W. Fox in the building
now occupied by the extensive music
roll business of F. Engelhardt «& Sons,
was equipped from the beginning with
electrical motive power, but when in
December, 1901, the business was re-
moved to the present Royal Gem Mill
on New street, it had so outgrown the
electrical development of East creek
falls that steam power was installed.
Since that time the Union Mills man-
agement has begun the installation of
electric energy in some departments
with the probability of increasing its
use. Mr. Beardslee found it necessary
for the utilization of the falls to in-
crease h's riparian holdings and fin-
ally his successors, the East Creek
Electric Light and Power Co. controll-
ed both banks of the East Canada
creek until the immediate vicinity of

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

279

Dolgeville is reached, the height of the
Inghams Mills dam having been regu-
lated by the tail race of the Dolgeville
plant of the Utica Gas and Electric
Co., thus plac hg the whole power de-
rived from this stream under the con-
trol of managements which work in
unison for the development of the
forces which for uncounted ages ran
to waste.

"The East Creek falls are about
three-quarters of a mile in length, de-
scending in that distance one hundred
and eighty feet, the descent beginning
at the Snell farm. Six of the descents
deserve the name of cataract. The
scenery has not been marred but rather
improved by the erection of the elec-
trical works, for "Dance of waters, and
mill of grinding, both have lieauty and
both are useful." The fall of water
utilized by the dam here is 120 feet,
which drives two turbines each of 1,000
horse power, both connected with gen-
erators, one of 450 and the other of
500 K. W. power with turbine gover-
nors and exciters duplicated with the
exception of step-up transformer. The
surplus of the power generated here is
transferred when needed to the lines
of the Utica Gas and Electric Co. at a
point between Dolgeville and Little
Falls.

"The East Creek Electric Light and
Power Co. came into being in 1902. In
1893 when Mr. Beardslee decided upon
this undertaking which has grown far
beyond his anticipation, he applied to
the authorities of Little P'alls for a
franchise for the purpose of supplying
the city with electric light and power.
Although the people of Little Falls
were very insistent at that time in
their demands for a city charter they
were too conservative to seize this op-
portunity and Mr. Beardslee turned his
attention to the lower valley. In 1895
the firm of Roth & Bngelhardt (whose
successful establishment of the piano
action industry at St. Johnsville dur-
ing a period of phenomenal business
depression was attracting considerable
attention and placing themselves and
the village of their location among the
influences to be considered in the bus-
iness world) added a lighting plant to

their St. Johnsville piano works. This
Mr. Beardslee purchased of Roth &
Engelhardt in 1898.

"The dam at Dolgeville was con-
structed by Alfred Dolge in 1897, and
an electric plant installed, which ulti-
mately passed into the hands of the
Utica Gas and Electric Co. This plant
generates about 2,500 H. P.

"Mr. Bea'rdslee, who initiated the East
Creek improvement, has for some years
taken little or no part in its manage-
ment but has devoted himself to his
private interests and especially to his
dairy, composed of thoroughbred
blooded stock. He sviffered severe
losses in the winter of 1907 by the
burning of h:'s barn and destruction of
his dairy, but he was not disheartened
and set himself to work repairing his
losses with the indefatigable energy
which deserved and achieved success.
His father, Augustus Beardslee, son of
John Beardslee. was a well known
character in his day. He was born at
East Creek August 13, 1801, died there
March 15, 1873. An alumnus of Pair-
field seminary and Union college he
was admitted to the bar and filled the
positions of judge of the court of com-
mon pleas and member of assembly.
Outside of these his studies and his
private business occupied his time,
and, thoroughly conservative, he felt
no inclination to become a pioneer in
the work of industrial development
which may be said to have only begun
in his declining years. In politics he
was a Democrat of the old school and
attended a national convention at
Charleston, S. C, in April, 1860, as a
member of the Mozart hall delegation.
The failure of this movement left him
out of touch with polit-'cal conditions
and he took no pains to adapt himself
to the new situation and issues evolv-
ed by the Civil war, but passed his
latter years as one of the surviving
Democrats of the JacTcsonian school.

"The present chapter in the history
of the East Creek electrical develop-
ment opened with the construction of
the Inghams M'lls dam and power
plant. Of the thousands that pass
every day up and down the Mohawk
valley, few realize what a work of art,

280

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

science and utility exists a few miles
up the wild-appearing gorge which
they pass with hardly a glance as the
Twentieth Century or the Empire
State trains fly bj'. In fact, the ap-
proach to the twin iilants of the East
Creek Electric Light and Power Co. is
more in keeping with our ideas of the
scenes of Scott's novels and poems of
the Scottish Highlands than of Central
New York. Inghams Mills, like many
of the country hamlets, had its rise
and decadence. The grist mill now
disused was constructed in 1802 by
Col. William Feeter and in the last
years of its operation was the oldest
grist ni'll in Herkimer county. The
village became a busy place for years
Init as steam became the accredited
agent of propulsion it slowly lost its
position until 1909, when the electric
plant was begun, to be completed in
1912. The dam, one of the show places
of the valley, is 123 feet in height, 87
feet thick at the bottom, 12 feet at the
top and 60.5 feet in length, setting back
the water three miles, to the village of
Dolgeville. The brick 1)uilding con-
taining the power plant, is one of the
most complete of its kind. Two tur-
bines each connected with a generator
of 4,000 H. P.J 8,000 in all, generate the
mysterious element of which we know
so little, but fear and dread so much.
The plant at Inghams Mills is dupli-
cated throughout more completely
than that at East Creek. A breakage
or other accident to one turbine or
generator would cause no inconveni-
ence to patrons of the system, the
parts of the machinery being inter-
changeable. The use of induction mo-
tors is another great improvement over
the former system but is one of those
things, which while the results are ap-
preciated by the general public, in-
volves technicalities which are not
easily understood by those who have
not been initiated into the mysteries of
electrical science. One plant being
known as a 25 cycle plant with 3,000
alternations per minute, the other a
60 cycle plant with 7,200 alternations
per m:nute, it became necessary to
have some point where what is termed
a change of frequency can take place.

This is provided at the sub-station in
Manheim, where connection is made
with the line of the Utica company.

"We will close by calling attention to
the work at present being done to in-
sure a larger and more regular supply
of water. The Durey Lumber Co. is
now engaged under a contract with
the East Creek Electric Light and
Power Co. in constructing storage
dams at the outlet of Irving pond, Pine
lake and Nine Corners lake in the near
Adirondacks for the purpose of secur-
ing a uniform supply of water power.
The subject of erecting an additional
storage dam between East Creek and
Inghams Mills has also been mooted.
The work is being done under the su-
porvsion of Viele, Blackwell & Buck,
engineers and l)uilders of New York
city, who also constructed the Inghams
Mills dam, a piece of workmanship
which owing to its secluded situation
is visited l>y comparatively few i)eo-
ple, l)ut which is worthy of much more
attention from the public than it has
receixed."

E. W. Tuttle formerly of Fort Plain,
furnished the following concerning the
electric development of the water
power of Peck Pond and East and
West Caroga lakes and Caroga creek
by the Mohawk Hydro-Electric com-
pany, whose two main lines run to Fort
Plain and to Gloversville-Johnstown.
The Fort Plain line was opened in 1912.

Recent developments in electrical
transmission of power have exerted a
marked influence on the manufactur-
ing activities of the Mohawk valley.
An example in point is found in Fort
Plain, N. Y., where, with the comple-
tion of the direct transmission line of
the Mohawk Hydro-Electric company,
in February, 1912, a new phase of in-
dustrial possibilities was entered upon.

A feature of s)jecial interest in con-
nection with this hydro-electric devel-
opment is its storage system, which
utilizes natural sources of supply in
such a manner as to be practically in-
dependent of rainfall variation. This
enaliles the company to deliver a reli-
able, uninterrupted primary power
throughout the year at the lowest rate
known in the Eastern states.

The reser\oir system of the develop-
ment consists of three considerable
natural lakes and an arti/icial reser-
voir. The lakes are: Peck's, with an
area of 1,500 acres, which is owned In-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

281

the company; and East and West Car-
oga, with a combined area of 700 acres,
I'rom which the company has tlie right
to draw 4i/^ feet of water. 1 he level
of Peck's lake has been raised 24 feet
by a dam 900 feet long and 36 feet
high, of arch and buttress construc-
tion. The water from both of these
1 odies is conveyed to the main reser-
voir, a distance of 12 miles, through
the natural channel of Caroga creek.
This main reservoir, located at Garoga
village, about two miles from the
power station, has an area of 50 acres.
It is formed by a concrete arch and
buttress forebay dam 720 feet long, 58
feet high and having a spillway 260
feet in length.

A surface pipe line or tunnel con-
ducts the water from the forebay pond
to the power station, a distance of
11,430 feet. This tunnel is of varied
construction, to meet the pressure re-
quirements of its several sections.
From the dam the first 400 feet is a
concrete conduit; the next section,
8,7(0 feet in length, is a 72-inch wood
stave pipe, enlarging into a 1,460-foot
section of 96-inch pipe of the same
construction; and the terminal sec-
tion, 1,010 feet long, is a 96-inch steel
pipe. Excessive surges or water-ham-
mer in the pipe have been guarded
against by a surge tower of reinforced
concrete 55 feet high and 25 feet in
diameter, situated on the brow of the
hill from which the pipe finally de-
scends to the turbines. The effectual
head developed is 285 feet, with a loss
of approximately 10 feet in. pipe line,
with 3 units full load.

Ihe power station is of concrete
foimdation and rubble masonry walls,
designed for four generating units, of
Avhich three have been installed. The
hydraulic equipment consists of three
1,800 H. P. Smith-Francis turbines of
the horizontal single runner type, oper-
ating at 720 revolutions per minute.
The electrical equipment of each unit
is a 3 phase, 60 cycle, 2,300 volt gener-
ator of 1,250 K. V. A. capacity. The
current from the generators is deliv-
ered to two banks of three transform-
ers (and one spare), of 500 K. V. A.
each, which step it up from 2,300 to
23.000 \olts. The out-going lines are
equipped with electrolytic lightning
arresters.

There are two transmission lines
known as the Gloversville-Johnstown
and the Fort Plain lines. The former
is a 10-mile, 23,000 volt line, transmit-
t'ng power to the Fulton County Gas
& Electric company, which corpora-
tion, purchasing in bulk, serves the
cities of Gloversville and Johnstown
and adjacent communities. The latter
is a 7-mile, 23,000 volt line, direct to
the sub-station at Fort Plain.

The transmission towers are of two
types — 4-Je.§'ged and "A" frames. They

are designed for two 3 -phase circuits
on the iirst named line and one circuit
on the Fort Plain line — the latter con-
sisting of three No. 1 hard drawn solid
copper wires.

'ihe sub-station at Fort Plain is of
hollow tile and brick construction and
has complete equipment for stepping
down from 23,000 to 2,300 volts, to-
gether with approved protective de-
\ ices and measuring instrumefits.

During the first eighteen months of
its operation the plant has carried the
entire load of the cities of Johnstown
and Gloversville, serving a population
of over 36,000 people continuously 24
hours a day, with but one interruption
of six minutes. This operating period
includes the summer months of 1911
and 1912 which were seasons of un-
usual dryness. In spite of these se-
vere conditions the storage at Peck's
lake has had a draught of only three
feet made on it at the end of the pres-
ent summer season, leaving a reserve
of over a billion cubic feet of stored
water. The electric regulation on the
company's power circuit has been re-
markably good, the management of the
Fulton county company's system stat-
ing that both as to reliability and reg-
ulation the service is far superior to
that which they had been able to ol>-
tain from their own steam plant.

The complete plant w^as designed by
Barclay, Parsons & Klapp, New York
city. Work was started in May, 1910.
The Gloversville- Johnstow^n load was
taken on in Feliruary, 1911, and the
Fort Plain service inaugurated in Feb-
ruary, 1912.

CHAPTER X.

1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty and the Five Tovv/nships of Min-
den, Canajoharie, Root, Palatine and
St. Johnsville.

This is the second chapter relating
to western IMontgomery county and its
five towns of Minden, Canajoharie,
Root, Palatine and St. Johnsville. The
first treated of the period in this ter-
ritory from 1689, the date of settle-
ment of Palatine by Hendrick Frey, to
1825 — the year of the completion of the
Erie canal, and covered details local to
these towns not contained in the more
general historical chapters. This
chapter deals with the later period
during the years from 1825 to 1913.

Among the wonderfully varied coun-
try of land; water and mountains con-
tained within New York state that of
the Mohawk valley holds a justly famed

282

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

position. From the days of the earliest
settlers our river and its watershed
were celebrated throughout the thir-
teen colonies and in Canada. The
Canadian Indians with Champlain
sang to him praises of this then pri-
meval region. The old Canajoharie
and Palatine districts and its river
sections contained in western Mont-
gomery county, hold much that is
beautiful and typical of the Mohawk
valley. This territory formed a large
part of the old Indian country of
Canajoharie and later of the civil
divisions of the Canajoharie and Pala-
tine districts of Tryon county. To-
gether with the added towns of Dan-
ube and Manheim of Herkimer county
it comprised the entire river section of
those districts.

Western Montgomery county is a
country of high, rolling hills and fer-
tile flats. Much of its farm lands are
rich, some are today (191.3) much "run
out." It is a noted farming section
and famous dairying region, growing
hay, oats, corn, fruit and poultry.
On the south side hops were once
raised generally, now only slightly.
From its surface the forest, which
originally overspread this river region,
as well as the greater part of the
eastern United States, has been al-
most completely denuded. It should be
the work of the valley men of today
and the future to bring back to that
land, which is poorly suited for agri-
culture but adapted to forest growth,
those great woods and trees of old,
which enrich the land, store up pure
water and induce rains, and which give
life and health to the people. These
same valley men should bring, from
the small remnants of these woods,
the trees, shrubs and flowers which
are typical of this old region of the
earth, and surround their homes with
these native growths, making places of
beauty where now are frequently bar-
ren, naked grounds.

The Mohawk, in western Montgom-
ery county, runs a course from north-
west to southeast, from Palatine
Church to below Canajoharie — a dis-
tance of seven miles out of the seven-
teen miles of river which wind

through the five western towns. This
course, which varies from the general
eastern direction of the Mohawk, was
noted by the Dutch travelers and ex-
plorers whose journey here in 1634 is
mentioned in Chapter I of this work.
The Mohawk of fifty years ago was a
river of much beauty, with tree-lined
banks, faintly suggesting that won-
derful stream of the seventeenth cen-
tury running between forest covered
hills. Until the Barge canal opera-
tions it retained much of this attrac-
tiveness in parts. Most of the beau-
tiful views obtainable, in the region
we are considering, are to be seen
from the highlands directly bordering
the river. Such a low elevation (of
100 feet above the river) as Prospect
Hill in Fort Plain, gives charming
vistas while the outlook westward
from the west side of the Big Nose,
at an elevation of 600 feet, gives a
view of the valley which is magnifi-
cent.

Several of the Mohawk's most im-
portant tributaries enter the river in
western Montgomery county. Two of
these, the East and Caroga creeks run
down through their hill-bordered val-
leys from the lakeland of Fulton
county and enter their parent stream
at East Creek and Palatine Church, re-
spectively. Both produce abundant
water power. On the south shore, the
Otsquago, entering the Mohawk at
Fort Plain, the Canajoharie at Cana-
joharie, Flat creek at Sprakers, and
^atesville or Wasontha, at Randall,
are tributaries of the river of the sec-
ond class. Much of the most beautiful
scenery in this section is contained
along the valleys of these streams.
The small falls and lapids above East
Creek station on East creek are of
considerable beauty.

On Flat creek, a mile or more south
of Sprakers, is a considerable fall of
water, but most attractive of all the
landscape features of western Mont-
gomery county is the Canajoharie
Falls at the upper end of the famed
Canajoharie gorge which begins at the
Canajoharie of yore and the Canajo-
harie of today — the old atone "pot" in

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

283

the creek's bed which lies on the
southern limits of the village itself.

Situated in the middle of this fertile
river farming country are three cen-
ters of population which today are
modern, progressive, well-kept Amer-
ican villages of the best type and of
which their citizens may well be proud.
These are St. Johnsville, Fort Plain
(including Nelliston) and Canajoharie
(including Palatine Bridge). All these
three places are market towns for the
surrounding country and much manu-
facturing is done in them all, many of
the products being famous the country
over. All are excellent places of resi-
dence, not as yet (1913) being overrun
with a foreign population, alien in
every way to the thoroughly American
population of western Montgomery
county. It is to be hoped that this
condition will continue in spite of that
urban growth which is sure to come.
The villages mentioned are typical of
other small towns and even of the
cities of the Mohawk valley. As the
town giving its title to this work, Fort
Plain has been selected as the village
whose story is detailed from 1825 to
1913, but the same social, agricultural,
labor and manufacturing details no-
ticed are largely true of St. Johnsville
and Canajoharie and of the country-
side also, so that in reading the
story of Fort Plain and the town of
Minden, we scan that of western
Montgomery county and its villages as
well. Although imaginary lines of
geographical demarcation are of but
little real value, it may interest the
reader to know that western Mont-
gomery contains about 125,000 acres
(about half the area of the county)
and is about the size of Schenectady
county. Its combined population is
about 16,000.

In western Montgomery county are
located three of the historic churches
and several of the pre-Re\'olutionary
houses of the Mohawk valley.

The population of western Mont-
gomery county in 1840 was 16,378 and
in 1850, 15,939 divided as follows:
Minden, 4,623; Canajoharie, 4,097;
Root, 2,736; Palatine, 2,856; St. Johns-
ville, 1,627. The pop.ulations of Min-

den and St. Johnsville only have in-
creased from 1850 to 1910 and this has
been due entirely to the growth of the
villages of St. Johnsville and Fort
Plain. The incorporated places of
Fort Plain and Canajoharie (then the
only ones in western Montgomery) did
not have their population given sep-
arately in the census of 1850.

The census of 1880 was the first in
which the population of all the villages
of the west end of Montgomery county
were returned. The census figures of
1880 by towns follow: Minden, 5,100;
Canajoharie, 4,294; Root, 2,275; Pala-
tine, 2,786; St. Johnsville, 2,002. To-
tal population of the five western
towns of Montgomery county (1880),
16,457. Population of the villages:
Fort Plain, 2,443; Canajoharie, 2,013;
St. Johnsville, 1,072; Nelliston, 558;
Palatine Bridge, 332.

The 1910 population of the five west-
ern towns of Montgomery county —
Minden, Canajoharie, Root, Palatine,
St. Johnsville — was 15,932, divided
among the townships as follows:
Minden, 4,645; Canajoharie, 3.888;
Root, 1,512; Palatine, 2,517; St. Johns-
ville, 3,369. The population of the five
villages was as follows: Fort Plain,
2,762; St. Johnsville, 2,536; Canajo-
harie, 2,273; Nelliston, 737, Palatine
Bridge, 392.

While there are five incorporated
villages in western Montgomery there
are but three centers of urban popula-
tion, viz: Fort Plain-Nelliston, com-
bined population 1910, 3,499; Canajo-
harie-Palatine Bridge, 2,665; St.
Johnsville, 2,536. The growth of St.
Johnsville has been very considerable
in the past decade and if continued it
will become the largest population
center in western Montgomery county
before the passage of many years.

Although a union of the villages of
Fort Plain and Nelliston and of Cana-
joharie and Palatine Bridge is not now
contemplated, nor even desired by the
inhabitants of the smaller places, it
probably will eventually come to pass.

The total population of the five west
end villages in 1910 was 8,700. Outside
of these incorporated places are proba-
bly 1,000 people whose living is not de-

284

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

rived from the land. This would give
a farming population of 6,200 and a
non-fanning population of 9,700. Over
half the agricultural population of
Montgomery county is located in the
western half, as the people engaged
in the cultivation of the soil, in Mont-
gomery county, probably do not ex-
ceed 11,000 in number. The producing
farm population of the five western
towns of Minden, Canajoharie, Root,
Palatine and St. Johnsville, is about
half what it was in 1850, while the
non-food-producing public has more
than doubled. This condition, which
is common to the entire country, is
responsible for the high and increas-
ing cost of food stuffs, and this condi-
tion will not be bettered except by a
great increase in the number of food
producers.

The foregoing chapters of this work
have detailed the history of western
Montgomery and the Mohawk valley
from the time of the earliest Dutch

explorers and its Mohawk Iroquois in-
habitants. We have seen the events
of settlement by Dutch, British and
Germans and how the location of
Hendrick Frey in 1689 in Palatine was
the first in the limits of old Tryon
county and the first in the valley west
of the Schenectady county line. In
western Montgomery county was the
forest home of Sir George Clarke, one
of the British colonial governors. The
stirring Revolutionary events of this
section have been detailed and the
great part its inhabitants played in
the defense of this, frontier. Later we
have had the Mohawk river commerce
described and that of the turnpikes
and the building of the canal, railroad
and Barge canal. The part the men
of the middle Mohawk valley played in
the wars of 1812 and 1861-5 has been
told with much particularity. The fol-
lowing will describe this section of re-
cent years and at the present time
(1913).

CHAPTER XI.

1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty— The Town of St. Johnsville and
St. Johnsville Village.

The town of St. Johnsville is the
most westerly, with the town of Min-
den, in Montgomery and is bounded on
the north by Fulton county (town of
Oppenheim and a small part of the
town of Ephratah), on the east by Pal-
atine, on the south by the Mohawk
river and the town of Minden, and on
the west by Herkimer county. Its sur-
face consists of broad flats along the
Mohawk, with broken uplands rising
to the north to a height of over 1,000
feet sea elevation and over 700 feet
above the river. The principal streams,
all of which flow in a southerly direc-
tion and empty into the Mohawk, are
East Canada, Crum, Fox, Zimmer-
man, Timmerman and Mother creek.
Mason's History (1892) says: East
Canada creek is noted for a succession
of falls and rapids, descending 75 feet
in a distance of 80 rods, this being a
mile from its mouth. The soil of the

town is a fine quality of gravelly loam,
and that portion lying near the river
is adapted to grain and hay, while
farther north the land is well suited to
grazing. Discovery has been made of
three distinct mineral veins, on or near
East Canada creek, which are distin-
guished as the lower, middle and up-
per mines. The Hrst mentioned con-
sists largely of lead, with a trace of
gold, the second is a mixture of cop-
per, lead and zinc, and the last men-
tioned is mostly copper. [None of
these have ever been really worked.]

St. Johnsville was formed from the
town of Oppenheim [now in Fulton
count.v] at the time Montgomery coun-
ty was divided [into Montgomery and
Fulton counties], April 18, 1838. In
area it is the smallest town in the
county. A large portion of it was for-
merly comprised in the Harrison pa-
tent of 12,000 acres, dated March 18,
1722. The town is divided into four
school districts.

The town is supposed to have been
settled at about 1725 or before. It was
part of the Pa,latine district and its

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

285

history is largely that of Palatine
which was settled about 1712, by Pal-
atine Germans. These with a few
Dutch comprised the settlers prior to
the Revolution. Mention has been
made in the former chapter on wes-
tern Montgomery county [1689-1825]
of the settlements, industries and
schools here prior to 1825. St. Johns-
ville formed part of the town of Pala-
tine from 1772 to 1808, when the town
of Oppenheim, then in Montgomery
county, was set off. In 1838 the town
of St. Johnsville, Montgomery county,
was formed as previously stated. The
first town meeting of the new town
was held May 1, 1838, at the house of
Cristopher Klock, one mile east of the
later village of St. Johnsville. The
number of votes polled was 271. Dur-
ing the civil war St. Johnsville fur-
nished a large number of federal sol-
diers, considering its small area.

The village of St. Johnsville is sit-
uated on Zimmermans creek about in
the center of the town and dates its
first settlement from 1775 when David
and Conrad Zimmerman located there
and built a grist mill on the stream.
George Klock built a grist mill in 1801
and David Quackenbush another in
1804. In 1825 James Averill built here
a stone grist mill and distillery. These
buildings were twice destroyed by fire
and as often rebuilt and eventually
became a paper-mill, making straw
board. St. Johnsville village was long
known as "Timmerman's," a name de-
rived from its first settlers, the names
Timmerman and Zimmerman being
equivalent.

The name of the village and town
was taken from St. John's Reformed
church, as mentioned in a foregoing
chapter on the five Revolutionary
churches of western Montgomery coun-
ty, of which St. John's was one. This
church was formed prior to 1756 and
a church erected in 1770 belOw the
village. In 1804 this was reinoved to
its present location. In 1881 the pres-
ent St. John's Reformed church of
brick was erected.

It has been stated that the name of
the town and village was adopted in
honor of Alexander St. John, who was

a pioneer of what is now Northampton,
Fulton county, and who was a well-
known engineer and surveyor of his
time. On April 4, 1811, the New York
legislature passed an act authorizing
John Mclntyre of Broadalbin, Alexan-
der St. John of Northampton, and
Wm. Newton of Mayfleld, to lay out
a new turnpike road "from the house
of Henry Gross in Johnstown to the
house of John C. Nellis, in the town
of Oppenheim," terminating in the
Mohawk turnpike near the present vil-
lage of St. Johnsville. St. John did the
surveying and largely superintended
the construction of the turnpike. He
was at "Timmerman's" a great part of
the time and when a postofRce was es-
tablished there it is said to have been
named in his honor, St. Johnsville. It
may be that the historic old Reformed
church and the capable and popular
surveyor both contributed to the adop-
tion of the name, but the subject will
probably continue to be a matter of
dispute.

The construction of the Erie canal,
in 1825 and the Utica and Schenectady
railroad in 1836, boomed the little vil-
lage and in 1857 the population had
grown to 720. On Aug. 1, 1857, the
place was incorporated.

Besides St. John's Reformed church
the following religious societies have
been organized in the village: Grace
Christian church, organized in 1874;
Union church, erected in 1849 by Luth-
erans and Methodists and a few other
denominations no longer in exist-
ence; Methodist Episcopal church,
built in 1879; St. Patrick's Roman
Catholic church, built 1889; Episcopal.

The following newspapers have been
published in St. Johnsville, with the
dates of their establishment: Inter-
ior New Yorker, 1875; Weekly Por-
trait, St. Johnsville Times, St. Johns-
ville Herald, St. Johnsville Herald-
Times; St. Johnsvile Leader, 1886; St.
Johnsville News, 1891; St. Johnsville
Enterprise, 1897.

The First National bank of St.
Johnsville was organized in 1864 with
a capital of $50,000. The Board of
Trade of St. Johnsville was organized
1892. Exceptionally good educational

286

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

facilities are afforded by the St. Johns-
ville High and Grammar school.

St. Johnsville has a fine public li-
brary housed In its own building. Like
Fort Plain and Canajoharie, its sister
villages, it has many social, fraternal,
religious and patriotic societies. St.
Johnsville Lodge, No. 611, F. and A.
M., was organized in 1866.

The manufactures of the village are
(1913) player pianos and piano actions
(manufacture began 1889), agricultural
implements, condensed milk, carriage
hardware, knit goods, carriages,
wagons, sleighs, paper, straw board,
sash and blinds, cigars, iron castings.
The manufacture of knit goods began
in 1892.

The following is from the Industrial
Directory of 1912, issued by the New
York State Department of Labor:

St. Johnsville (Montgomery county),
incorporated as a village in 1857; esti-
mated population in 1913, 2,735. St.
Johnsville is situated in the valley of
the Mohawk river on the New York
Central railroad [the station of South
St. Johnsville is on the south side of
the Mohawk on the West Shore rail-
road and the Erie canal]. The princi-
pal manufactures are knit goods and
pianos [player pianos and piano ac-
tions]. The village is the trading and
shipping center for a rich dairy farm-
ing section. There is building sand in
St. Johnsville. The village has sev/ers,
electric lighting service and municipal
water works.

With 990 operatives in an estimated
(1913) population of 2,735, St. Johns-
ville is an unusual valley industrial
center, on account of the large pro-
portion of manufacturing employes to
the total population — over one-third.
It is the leading industrial town of
western Montgomery county. Its fac-
tories (1914) generally employ electric
power derived from the power stations
at East Creek and Inghams Mills. See
the chapter on Western Montgomery
county hydro-electric development, in
which its relation to the manufactories
of St. Johnsville is detailed by William
Irving Walter, the well-known writer
on historical and general subjects, of
St. Johnsville.

The growth of St. Johnsville, due to
its flourishing industries, has been
very rapid since 1890 and the village
has all improvements such as sewers.

electric lights and water supply. It
boasts the first modern opera house
built in western Montgomery county.
The Mohawk turnpike is excellently
paved through the village with brick
and a variety of experimental road
building materials further west. The
only hamlet in the town is that of
Upper St. Johnsville, about one and a
half miles west of the village proper,
of which it will doubtless eventually
form a part.

The population of St. Johnsville
township was in 1850, 1,627; 1880,
2 002; 1910, 3,369.

The population of St. Johnsville vil-
lage was 720 in 1857, 1,376 in 1870, 1,072
in 1880, 1,263 in 1890, 1,873 in 1900 and
2,536 in 1910.

CHAPTER XII.

1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty— The Town of Palatine.

Says Mason's History (1892): The
present town of Palatine lies north of
the Mohawk, and directly east of St.
Johnsville. It is bounded on the north
by Fulton county [town of Ephratah]
and on the east by the town of Mo-
hawk [and on the south by the Mo-
hawk river and the towns of Minden,
Canajoharie and part of Root]. The
surface of the town is mostly an up-
land [200 to 700 feet above the valley],
l^roken by deep, narrow ravines and
descending irregularly toward the
river. Garoga [or Caroga] creek, a
beautiful mill stream, which rises in
the Garoga lake [and Peck's Pond]
flows in a southwesterly direction
through the western part of the town
and empties into the Mohawk at Pala-
tine Church. Mill creek, a tributary of
the Garoga; Smith creek, at the Smith
farm; Nelliston creek, at Nelliston;
Flat creek, on the Gros farm; Salts-
man creek, below Palatine Bridge; the
Kanagara, emptying into the Mohawk
a short distance below Sprakers [al
the County Home], are the principal
water courses of the town. The soil
consists in a great measure of dark,
clayey loam, containing more or less
gravel, and is highly fertile when prop-
erly cultivated. It is especially adapt-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

287

ed to grazing and, in the manufacture
of cheese, Palatine is one of the lead-
ing dairy townships.

The story of the town of Palatine
has been brought in previous chapters
down to 1825. It is exclusively an ag-
ricultural town, its two villages of
Nelliston and Palatine Bridge, being
in reality residence sections respec-
tively of Fort Plain and Canajoharie,
without industries of any size. The
Palatine district, on the formation of
Tryon county in 1772, was called the
"Stone Arabia district." On March 8,
1773, the name was changed to "Pala-
tine district." Salisbury, Herkimer
county, was the first town set off from
Palatine in 1797. Stratford (Fulton
county) was formed from it in 1805;
Oppenheim (embracing also the pres-
ent town of St. Johnsville) in 1808;
Ephratah in 1827, but a portion of the
latter was re-annexed upon the di-
vision of the county in 1838.

"The territory of Palatine," says
Mason's History, "originally comprised
three historic land grants, the first be-
ing the Van Slyck patent of 6,000
acres, granted 1716. It lay along the
north bank of the Mohawk, extending
west from the Nose and a mile or more
above Palatine Bridge, also including
the 'Frey place.' Next was the Har-
rison patent, containing 12,000 acres,
and including nearly all of what is now
St. Johnsville. This was bought from
the Indians in 1722 by Francis Harri-
son and others. The third was the
Stone Arabia patent of 1723, compris-
ing 12,700 acres, and granted mostly to
27 Palatines and Herrdrick Frey, who
were already settled on the land." The
oldest structure in Palatine is Fort
Frey, a stone house built in 1739, and
located in the present village of Pala-
tine Bridge.

Mention has been made of the three
Revolutionary churches of Palatine,
the Reformed church of Stone Arabia
and the Lutheran churches of Stone
Arabia and Palatine Church. Aside
from these is Salem Church of the
Evangelical Association of America,
later called "the German church," first
organized in 1835 and incorporated in
1877, the present edifice being erected

in 1871, and the Methodist church of
Nelliston, built about 1890.

Palatine is divided into eleven school
districts. It comprises, besides the in-
corporated villages of Nelliston and
Palatine Bridge, the hamlets of Pala-
tine Church, Wagners Hollow, Stone
Arabia and McKinley (formerly Os-
wegatchie). The villages of Nelliston
and Palatine Bridge are advantage-
ously located. They have residential,
educational and social advantages
which should ensure a future consid-
erable growth. Both have factory and
home sites in abundance. Palatine
Bridge is (1914) putting in a village
sewage system.

The population of Palatine was 2,856
in 1850, 2,786 in 1880, 2,517 in 1910.

The population of Palatine Bridge
was 493 in 1870, 332 in 1880, 392 in 1910.

The population of Nelliston was 558
in 1880, 737 in 1910.

CHAPTER XIII.

1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty— The Town of Root.

Mason's History (1892) says: "Root
is the central town of the county on
the south of the Mohawk. It is bound-
ed on the east by Glen and Charleston;
on the south by Schoharie county and
on the west by Canajoharie. The sur-
face of this town presents a variety
of natural features surpassing in ex-
tent and grandeur any other portion
of the county, in fact it is doubtful if
any other equal area in the Mohawk
valley contains so many interesting
works of nature. The geologist and
naturalist here find subjects for
thought and discussion, while the ad-
mirer of beautiful scenery is charmed
with the prospect from the heights in
the northern and central portions of
the town. The majestic hills, that rise
abruptly from the Mohawk to a height
of 630 feet, form the northern crest of
an undulating upland, the soil of which
varies from a dark colored loam and
clay bottom, near the eastern border,
to a gravelly loam in the center, and
more or less clay and light soil in the
western portion of the town. A fine
quality of building stone crops out on

288

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

some of these summits, but, owing to
the steep hills and heavy grades, these
quarries have seldom been worked. An
abundance of black slate is found near
the center of the t-own. Agriculture is
the principal interest and, although
hay is the chief crop, oats, barley, corn
and buckwheat are raised in abund-
ance. In the vicinity of Currytown,
hops are grown with much success.
The adaptability of the soil to grazing
was recognized by the farmers at an
early day, and thus we find extensive
dairies and cheese factories scattered
throughout the town."

The two principal streams in Root
are Yatesville and Flat creeks. The
former [Yatesville] enters the town on
its eastern border from Charleston
and flows in a northerly direction,
emptying into the Mohawk at Randall,
formerly Yatesville. This stream was
called by the Indians Wasontha. A
beautiful cascade is to be seen about
one mile north of Rural Grove, where
this stream falls twenty or twenty-flve
feet, affording a scene of picturesque
attraction. Flat Creek, which takes
its name from the shallowness of a
portion of its stream, enters the ex-
treme southern part of the town and
flows in an irregular northerly direc-
tion, making a circuitous detour into
Canajoharie and emptying into the
Mohawk at Sprakers. A large portion
of the course of this stream is com-
posed of natural features differing
from those to which it owes its name.
For a number of mil-es it flows through
an inclining stratum of gravel and
slate, its banks forming steep and
rugged ravines, and at a point a mile
above Sprakers thei-e is a fall of sixty-
flve feet. At several points along its
course, prospecting parties have suc-
cessfully brought to the surface min-
eral ore containing fifty per cent of
lead and fifteen per cent of silver, as
shown by the assay of the state geol-
ogist, and this led to the formation of
the Canajoharie Mining Co. [but the
veins have never Ijeen worked]. Be-
sides these there are two other small
streams in the town of Root — Big Nose
creek, just east of the Big Nose, and
Allston creek in the eastern part of the

town, emptying into the Mohawk in
the town of Glen.

Facing the river, on the northern
border of Root, about two miles east
of Sprakers, is a bold promontory,
which is mentioned in connection with
a similar spur on the opposite or north
side of the Mohawk as "the Noses."
These lower uplifts of the Mohawk
have been noted at length in connec-
tion with the history and geography of
the Mohawk valley and of the geology
of the middle Mohawk valley. The
scenery and landscape on and about
the Noses and their aspect from the
river and the broad flatlands above and
below them, constitutes one of the
most picturesque features of the Mo-
hawk valley. The editor of this work
would suggest "the Noses" and their
adjoining country and the Canajoharie
falls as the two most attractive land-
scape items in western Montgomery
county. The southern nose is known
as "the Big Nose." On it is located
Mitchell's cave, a seeming fault in the
rock, enlarged by water action and
which has been descended to its bot-
tom for several hundred feet. It drops
at a sharp angle toward the Mohawk
river. Its exploration is attended with
considerable danger and should only be
undertaken by a party of men with
ropes, lanterns, etc. There is a simi-
lar hole north of Little Falls known as
Hinnian's Hole. The Big Nose has also
been called "Anthony's Nose."

Root is the largest town of Mont-
gomery county. The eastern half was
formerly in the Mohawk district of
Tryon county while the half west of
the Big Nose was in the Canajoharie
district. It was formed from Canajo-
harie and Charleston in 1823 and
named in honor of Erastus Root of
Delaware county, a political leader of
that time. Its territory embraces parts
of nine diffei'ent land grants as fol-
lows: Burnet patent, 1726, 775 acres,
in Randall village; Provost patent,
1726, 8,000 acres, lying west of Randall;
Roseboom patent, 1726, 1,500 acres, in-
cluding the hill known as "Anthony's
Nose" and extending southeast within
a mile of Currytown; Kennedy patent,
775 acres, granted 1727, and including

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

289

stone Ridge; Bagley and Williams
patent, 4,000 acres, granted 1837, in
the south part of Root, extending into
southeastern Canajoharie; Corry's pat-
ent, 25,400 acres, granted 1737, em-
bracing parts of Charleston, Glen and
Root; Winne's patent, 4.000 acres, in-
cluding Flat Creek village, granted
1741; Gros patent (title secured by
John Daniel Gros, pastor of the Cana-
joharie Reformed Dutch church at Fort
Plain) embracing parts of Root and
Canajoharie, title granted 1786.

The first permanent white settler
known who located in Root was Jacob
Dievendorf, who settled at Currytown.
The first town meeting and election of
officers was held shortly after the or-
ganization of the town in January,
1823. In 1825 the population of the
town was 2,806. In 1910 it was 1,512.
The first schools in Root were German
schools but the first school of which
we have any record was an English
school taught by one Glaycher near
the Noses in 1784. There are now
fourteen school districts in Root.

Rural Grove is the largest and most
important center in Root, and is locat-
ed on Yatesville creek, about five miles
south of the Mohawk. It is said to
date its settlement from 1828, when
Ataram H. Vanderveer and Henry
Stowitts erected a dwelling and large
tannery on the site of the residence of
the late John Bowdish. The cluster
of houses which grew up around the
tannery was named Unionville by
Stowitts and later was called Leather-
ville. The present name of Rural
Grove was suggested by a beautiful
grove of elms on the west border of
the little village and residents began
using this name in 1850 and it was
adopted by the postoffice department
in 1872. The Currytown postoffice was
removed to Rural Grove in 1832. The
place has about 250 population, stores
and a grist mill and cheese factory.
The Rural Grove Methodist church
was built in 1845, but a Methodist so-
ciety had existed long before that date.
The Christian church was organized
in 1854 and a church built which was
enlarged in 1874.

Sprakers is an attractive hamlet on

the Mohawk at the mouth of Flat
creek and on the south side of the Erie
canal. It is a station on the West
Shore road and connected by ferry
with ■ the Central railroad station of
Sprakers opposite on the north shore. It
was named for Jost Spraker, a pioneer
of the well known valley family of that
name. George Spraker, son of Jost
Spraker, built a tavern here which was
kept for years, until it burned down.
Daniel Spraker built the first store in
1822 and until the canal was completed
was engaged in the business of trans-
ferring freight between the unfinished
sections. Another store was started
by Joseph Spencer, who sold out to
John L. Bevins, who built the fine
stone store still standing and occupied
as a place of business, on the south
bank of the canal, by S. W. and Oscar
Cohen (1913). Sprakers was for a long
time a supply place for the canal
trade. A postoffice was established
here early in the nineteenth century.
The Reformed church of Sprakers was
erected in 1858 on the site of a much
older church building. Sprakers has a
hotel, creamery and several stores
and a population of about 200.

Currytown is the oldest settlement
in the town of Root, and here a store
was established about 1800 by John
McKernan, who subsequently built a
bridge across the Mohawk at Randall
which was carried away by high water
in 1820 or shortly after. At Curry-
town was established the first postof-
fice in the town of Root, the mail be-
ing brought by a post-rider. This was
removed to Rural Grove in 1832 but
one was again established in the latter
part of the nineteenth century. Curry-
town is today a strictly residential
hamlet of prosperous farmers. The
Reformed church of Currytown is the
oldest religious organization in Root,
having been organized in 1790 and a
church built in 1809. It was remodeled
in 1849 and was rebuilt in 1883.

Randall is a postoffice and village in
the northeastern part of the town, on
the Erie canal, West Shore railroad
and Mohawk river and at the mouth of
Yatesville creek. It was originally
called Yatesville, which name was

290

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

changed to Randall when the postof-
fice was established in 1863. A Chris-
tian church was formed about 1850 at
Randall and a church was built in
1885. The bridge connecting Randall
and Yosts on the north shore was
swept away, as mentioned previously,
in 1820, shortly after its erection. Pop-
ulation about 150.

Flat Creek is located on the stream
of that name four miles south of the
Mohawk. Considerable business was
transacted here at one time and then
the place had two hotels or taverns.
A postoffice was established here in
the latter part Qf the nineteenth cen-
tury. A cheese factory and saw and
feed mill are here located. A Baptist
church was built in 1860, but later the
society disbanded. The True Dutch
Reformed church of Flat Creek was
built in 1885.

Bundy's Corners, Lyker's Corners
and Brown's Hollow are the names of
hamlets of Root consisting each of a
few houses. At Brown's Hollow,
Henry Lyker erected a grist mill at an
early day, which later was bought by
John Brown, who increased the water
power by tunneling 1,000 feet through
the hill. The mill was burned but sub-
sequently rebuilt. A distillery, linseed
oil mill, carding machine and fulling
mill were at one time in operation at
Brown's Hollow but have discontinued
operation.

Population Root township: 1850,
2,736; 1880, 2,275; 1910, 1,512.

CHAPTER XIV.

1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty— The Town of Canajoharie and
Canajoharie Village.

The town of Canajoharie lies on the
south side of the Mohawk. It is
bounded on the north by the river and
the town of Palatine; on the east by
the town of Root; on the south by
Schoharie county and on the west by
Minden. Its surface consists of undu-
lating uplands rising from the Mohawk
to heights of almost 1,000 feet in the
southern part of the town. Its terri-
tory lies almost entirely in the water-
shed of Canajoharie creek, which en-

ters the southwestern part of the town
and flows almost directly east to the
little hamlet of Waterville, when it
turns north and flows in a zig-zag
course to its outlet into the Mohawk
at Canajoharie village. About one
and a half miles from its mouth occur
the picturesque Canajoharie falls, with
a perpendicular drop of about forty
feet to the deep pool at its base. Here
begins the Canajoharie gorge of slate
and stone walls, over a hundred feet in
height in places, hemming in the
stream on both sides and forming a
miniature canyon of great beauty
about three-quarters of a mile or more
in length. It ends at the southwestern
outskirts of Canajoharie village, about
three-quarters of a mile from the
junction of the creek with the Mohawk
river. At the end of the gorge is lo-
cated the original "Canajoharie" or
"pot which washes itself." This is a
hole in the solid rock of the creek bed
about twenty feet wide and ten feet
or more in depth although the depth is
probably much greater in the rock.
This is a gigantic pot hole, probably
worn by the action of small stones at
some time when the course of the
stream facilitated their grinding ac-
tion. Happy Hollow Brook, about one
mile north of Canajoharie village, is
the only other stream outside of a few
rivulets, in the township.

The soil of the town is a gravelly
loam, derived from 'the disintegration
of the underlying slate, in some places
intermixed with clay. It is easily and
profitably cultivated and Canajoharie
has been noted, from its earliest settle-
ment, for its rich and valuable farms.
When the first German and Dutch set-
tlers of the town of Canajoharie came
here about 1720 they found the Mo-
hawks cultivating the flatlands, par-
ticular the island located in the
river just below Fort Plain and the
island a mile and a half below the
creek. Here corn, beans, squashes
and tobacco were growing.

Canajoharie is the remaining por-
tion of the old Tryon county district of
that name, designated at the time of
the setting off of Tryon county March
24, 1772. Cherry Valley town was

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

291

formed from it in 1791; Minden in
1798; a part of Root in 1823; and a
part (the Freysbush district) was
taken from it and added to Minden in
1849.

Tlie prinicpal land grants in the
present town of Canajoharie were the
Canajoharie tract of 12,450 acres dated
1723; the Bradt patent of 3,200 acres
granted in 1733; Bagley's patent of
4,000 acres in 1737; two Golden pat-
ents and the Cosby, Dick, Lyne and
Morris patents of 2,000 acres each.

The following relates to the centers
of population in Canajoharie township:

The history of Canajoharie village
from about 1777 to 1825 is contained
in the first chapter dealing with west-
ern Montgomery county. The village
was incorporated April 30, 1829, and
since that time it has had a slow but
sure growth and has never gone back
in population. It suffered extensive
losses by severe fires in 1840, 1849 and
1877, in each instance a large part of
the business section being burned. The
construction of the West Shore rail-
road in 1883 somewhat injured the
lower and business part of the town.
The Canajoharie Local train runs
west to Syracuse and return over the
West Shore railroad.

The old stone school, known as dis-
trict No. 8, was built in 1850. In 1893
the present fine stone school house
was built, housing grammar, high
school and training school depart-
ments. It is one of the finest exam-
ples of school architecture in the
county and a leading feature of those
substantial stone structures which
make Canajoharie such a well-built,
solid and substantial looking town.

The Canajoharie Water Works Co.
was organized in 1852 and the village
supplied by water taken from springs
by gravity, to which were later added
rams for fire purposes. In 1876 this
system was extended and the supply
was added to from larger springs. In
1881 the Cold Spring Water Co., a
competing corporation, put in new
works. In 1888 the older company
sold out and in 1889 the Canajoharie
Consolidated Water Co. was organized,
receiving the property and franchises

of both companies. The catch basin
was located on Canajoharie creek,
three-fourths of a mile from the vil-
lage center, the pond one-half mile
and the reservoir one-quarter mile.
The present village water supply sys-
tem was inaugurated in 1912.

A union church was erected in 1818
and the Erie canal was built so close
to it as to seriously interfere with
services here. The Reformed church
of Canajoharie (village) was organ-
ized in 1827 and a stone church was
erected in 1842, which later was occu-
pied by the Methodist society when
the present handsome stone church
was built in the latter part of the nine-
teenth century. St. Mark's Lutheran
church was formed in 1839 and soon
purchased the old Union church near
the canal. The present attractive vine-
covered' church was built in 1870. St.
John's German Evangelical' Lutheran
church was organized in 1835. The
present stone church dates from 1871.
In 1852 the Church of the Good Shep-
herd, Protestant Episcopal, was form-
ed. Its present handsome stone church
was erected in 1873. The Methodist
Episcopal church socety had its birth
on the opposite side of the river in
Palatine where it built a church in
1828. It occupied the first Reformed
church in 1841. In 1863 it was rebuilt
and enlarged. St. Peter and St. Paul's
Roman Catholic church was built in
1862.

The village has the beautifully situ-
ated Canajoharie Falls cemetery and
a public library.

Hamilton lodge, No. 79, F. and A. M.,
received its charter in 1806, being at
that time number ten in the list of
state lodges. The first master was Dr.
Joshua Webster. A number of other
fraternal and social organizations are
located in town. Among these is the
Fort Rensselaer club, located in the
old stone Van Alstine house (built
1750). At the public square is the
monument commemorating Gen. Clin-
ton's army's presence at Canajoharie
in 1779, placed there by the local D.
A. R.

Canajoharie's first newspaper was
the Telegraph, started in 1825. Other

292

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

papers have been: Canajoharie Sen-
tinel, 1827; Canajoharie Republican,
1827; Montgomery Argus, 1831; Cana-
joharie Investigator, 1833; Canajoharie
Radii, 1837; Mohawk Valley Gazette,
1847; Montgomery Union, 1850; Cana-
joharie Courier, 1879; Hay Trade
Journal, 1892. The Radii, Courier and
Hay Trade Journal are prosperous
papers today.

The National Spraker bank was es-
tablished as the Spraker bank in 1853.
It was reorganized and incorporated
under the national banking act of
1865. Its capital is .$100,000. The Can-
ajoharie National bank was first or-
ganized as a state bank in 1855 and
became a national bank in 1865, with
a capital of $100,000, which has been
increased to $125,000.

The manufacture of and printing of
paper and cotton sacks and bags was
started in 1859 and the firm (Arkell &
Smiths) is today one of Canajoharie's
leading industries. The output is
many millions of sacks annually and
126 hands were employed in 1912.

The manufacture of food-stuffs by
the Beech-Nut Packing Co. began,
about 1890. The firm was then known
as the Imperial Packing Co. and start-
ed business curing "Beech-Nut" hams
and bacon. This has developed into
one of the model pure food factories
of the world, with an enormous and
constantly increasing output. The
employes are generally natives of Can-
ajoharie and the industry is one in
which Canajoharie justly takes the
greatest pride. Its perfect factories
are in sight from the Central railroad
and Canajoharie has justly been term-
ed "Beech-Nut Town." The output of
this concern averages $3,000,000 yearly
and 380 hands were employed in 1912.

Aside from these two leading indus-
tries there were 7 small factories in
1912 employing 23 hands. The total
number of operatives in Canajoharie's
manufactories in 1912 was 529. Pala-
tine Bridge has one factory with 9
employes, so that there are 538 people
employed in manufacturing in Cana-
joharie-Palatine Bridge.

Canajoharie village consists of a
lower portion on the flats from which

streets rise to hills of a consider-
able height, affording fine valley views.
On the Seeber Lane road, a mile north-
west from the town, is a U. S. Gov-
ernment geodetic survey station, at a
sea elevation of 800 feet, or 500 feet
above the Mohawk. From here may be
obtained a fine panoramic valley view
to the southeast, as well as one of the
Cherry Valley hills to the west.

Canajoharie is a center of a steady
trade with the farming country around
about it including much of Montgom-
ery and Schoharie county to the south
and southwest of it. Together with
Palatine Bridge, its sister village di-
rectly across on the north bank of the
Mohawk, it forms an ideal residence
community with all the features of
trade, social, educational, industrial
and agricultural life which go to make
up a progressive twentieth century
American village. It may justly be
said that all these qualities are shared
by the three sister villages of western
Montgomery county — Canajoharie,
Fort Plain and St. Johnsville, all of
similar character, size and population.
They all should experience a growth
of population, industries, wealth and
business and an educational and social
development. Their situation and the
sterling character of their inhabitants
ensures these things for the future.

The 1912 Industrial Directory of the
New York State Department of Labor
contains the following regarding Cana-
joharie:

Canajoharie (Montgomery county),
incorporated a village in 1829; esti-
mated population in 1913, 2,325. Cana-
joharie is situated in the valley of the
Mohawk river on the Erie canal and
the West Shore railroad. The village
of Palatine Bridge, on the New York
Central railroad, is industrially and
commercially an integral part of Can-
ajoharie, a bridge over the Barge
canal, which here follows the course of
the Mohawk river, connects the vil-
lages. The principal industries are the
manufacture of paper and cotton bags
and the packing of food products.
Canajoharie is surrounded by a rich
farming section devoted to general ag-
riculture [dairying and hay raising in
particular].

Population of Canajoharie village,
1870, 1.822: 1890, 2,089; 1910, 2.273.
1910, Canajoharie - Palatine Bridge,
2,665.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

293

Population Canajoharie township:
1850, 4,097; ISSO, 4,294; 1910, 3,889.

The village life of these three west-
ern Montgomery county centers, dur-
ing the past century, is described in
the chapter devoted to Minden town-
ship and Fort Plain, the central one
of the three villages.

Buel is a hamlet in the southern part
of the town of Canajoharie, the first
settlement here having been made by
John Bowman about 1760. He pur-
chased a large tract of land near the
headwaters of Canajoharie creek and,
for over half a century thereafter
(and during the Revolution), the
stream, the settlement of Buel and a
large part of the southern part of Can-
ajoharie township were all known as
"Bowman's Creek." In 1830 a postof-
fice was established at Buel. In 1823
the Central Asylum for the instruction
of the deaf and dumb was established
at Buel. In 1836 it was united with a
similar institution in New York city.
Buel took its name from Jesse Buel, at
one time prominent in state agricul-
tural circles.

Sprout Brook is a small hamlet and
postofflce on the Canajoharie creek in
the extreme southwestern part of the
town. The history of its settlement is
largely that of Buel and the Bowman's
Creek section.

Ames, In the Canajoharie valley, two
miles east of Buel, was named in
honor of Fisher Ames. It is said that
the first settler near here was named
Taylor. In 1796, the Free Will Bap-
tist church of Ames was located here,
it having been organized, in 1794, a
few miles to the west. Most of the
early settlers of Ames were New Eng-
landers, instead of being Germans as
in most of the neighboring settlements,
particularly in the immediate vicinity
of the Mohawk river. Its population
is estimated at about 200.

The early history of Mapletown has
been mentioned in a previous chapter.
It takes its name from the numerous
sugar maples left standing by the pio-
neers. It is on the old Indian trail
from Canajoharie to New Dorlach and
about four miles from Canajoharie.
Early in the nineteenth centviry a small

Dutch Reformed church was built
here.

The little, hamlet of Marshville is on
the Canajoharie creek near the center
of the town. Here in early days was
a large saw mill owned by one of the
Seeber family. How the place receiv-
ed the nickname of "Muttonville" is
told in the first chapter on western
Montgomery county. Population of
Marshville, about 100.

Van Deusenville lies near Sprout
Brook and Waterville, another little
hamlet between Ames and Mapletown.

The first school within present Can-
ajoharie town was in Seebers Lane, on
the north line of the Goertner farm, a
mile and a half southwest of Canajo-
harie village. When the common
school system was adopted this be-
came district No. 1 of Canajoharie.
The town is divided (1913) into four-
teen school districts.

CHAPTER XV.
1825-1913 — Western Montgomery Coun-
ty— Fort Plain Village and Minden
Township.

The history of the town of Minden,
from the time of the construction of
the Erie canal to the date of the com-
piling of these articles, is largely its
development in relation to agriculture
and the part its men played in the
great war of the rebellion.

The story of the village of Fort
Plain, for a similar period, is typical
of the development of Mohawk valley
towns during the nineteenth century.
It has also been the growth of the
canal and market town of 1830 into
the manufacturing village and farming
community center of the twentieth
century. At the completion of the
great Barge canal work, it will un-
doubtedly regain its place as an "in-
land port," which it held before the de-
cline of traffic on the Erie canal, due
to railroad competition. Fort Plain
was incorporated as a village in 1832.
Like Canajoharie, Fort Plain is a
"canal town" — that is, its early growth
was largely the result of the great
impetus to trade and commerce in
the valley due to the construction of

294

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the Brie canal. The founding and de-
velopment of industries, except on a
small scale, came later. Through all
the changes of the nineteenth cen-
tury, it has remained a trading center
for an important agricultural and
dairying section. Situated at the
mouth of the Otsquago valley and
practically (by road) at the outlet of
the Caroga valley, it has formed a cen-
ter of trade for those two extensive
natural thoroughfares and their ad-
jacent country. With the present
rapid improvement of the highways, its
advantageous location will continue to
be of marked aid to the trade center-
ing about the town, and its projected
Barge canal terminal will give it a
position of prominence in the traffic of
that great waterway. The Caroga
valley road, a mile and a half north of
Nelliston, leads north up the Caroga
valley into the lakeland of northern
Fulton county. The Otsquago valley
roads, south into the Susquehanna val-
ley, lead to Richfield Springs, Spring-
tield Centre, Cooperstown, Cherry Val-
ley and other points.

Fort Plain originally was a hamlet
of a few houses, a hotel, store and
mill, which grew up at the foot of
Prospect Hill and along the south
shore turnpike (now Willett street)
and the Otsquago creek, which then
ran along the flats to the foot of Fort
Hill (or the eminence on which the
fortification of Fort Plain stood), a
half mile north of the business center
of present Fort Plain. As we have
seen, during the building of the Erie,
the business concerns at Sand Hill, on
the northern end of the present village,
moved to the present business site.
Fort Plain, as a hamlet, dates from
about the building of the Canajoharie
Reformed Dutch church on Sand Hill
in 1750, when the nucleus of a little
settlement was established here at the
river ferry and the beginning of the
Dutchtown road. Both Sand Hill and
the Prospect Hill hamlets formed parts
of the present Fort Plain village lim-
its— about a square mile of territory.

Fort Plain and Nelliston form what
is virtually one town as before stated.
They are separated by the Mohawk

river, Nelliston being on the north
shore and Fort Plain on the south.
Nelli.ston dates its growth from about
1850. The original river bridge con-
necting the present villages was built
in 1829. The first Mohawk river bridge
at F'ort Plain was built across the
Island in 1806. Nelliston is a beautiful
residential section and is more adapted
to the site of future residential growth
of the two villages than Fort Plain it-
self. For articles relative to Fort
Plain in connection with the building
of bridges, highways, canals and rail-
roads, turn to the separate chapters
on these subjects.

Fort Plain lies partly on the flats
and partly on the high ground rising
to Prospect Hill on the east and to
Institute and Cemetery Hill and Fort
Hill on the west and north. It also ex-
tends up the Otsquago valley nearly a
mile. Nelliston lies on a tableland on
a small hill rising directly from the
river.

Trade and business houses rapidly
sprang up in Fort Plain, both before
and immediately after the Erie was
completed in 1825, and for a number of
years it shared in the commerce of
what was then a great water route of
passenger and freight traffic. For years
the Fort Plain canal docks were lively
and busy places and continued as such
up to about 1880, when the competi-
tion of the railroads began to be ser-
iously felt. Since about that time the
canal traffic has been rapidly falling
off until now it is but a small fraction
of its former volume and the same
docks are practically deserted by canal
men. Reference should be made to
the chapter on the Erie canal for an
idea of this phase of life in Fort Plain
in the first half of the nineteenth cen-
tury.

At this period and until the time
railroads entered the countrj' to the
south of us, Fort Plain as a market
and canal town and later a railroad
town as well, drew a great amount of
trade to itself from what is now Ot-
sego county. Teams loaded with mer-
chandise arrived from and departed
for towns and settlements as far south
as Oneonta and even beyond. Its po-

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

295

sition at the outlet of this country, by
way of the Otsquago valley, gave it a
lively trade and these facts and its
place as a station on the canal and
railroad contributed to build up a solid
business section much larger and more
important than in most towns of its
size. Indeed, in the days when the village
only had half its present (1913) popu-
lation, the business section was prac-
tically of its present area and import-
ance. A man who lived in Minden in
the 40s, made Fort Plain a visit in
1911 and to a query, by the writer, as
to how the town looked to him, in
comparison with the Fort Plain of his
boyhood, he replied: "Oh, about the
same." This is true of the business
section but the manufacturing and
residential portions have enlarged and
changed to a marked extent from the
town of the quoted man's youthful
days. The size of stocks, completeness
and enterprise of the stores of Fort
Plain have been a matter of valley
knowledge and local pride for almost a
century.

Some of Fort Plain's merchants of
the early and middle nineteenth cen-
tury did an enormous business, con-
sidering the size of the village. Stocks
were then carried which made Fort
Plain the best shopping center be-
tween Schenectady and Utica. It was
in those days that Fort Plain's business
center was developed, a business sec-
tion which presents a more metropoli-
tan and citylike appearance than any
town between Schenectady and Utica,
not excepting Little Falls and Am-
sterdam, which are many times the
size of Fort Plain. We talk of modern
business methods but they are no-
wise superior to those of the early
nineteenth century merchants.

From the beginning Fort Plain was
an important market town. Manufac-
turing on any scale did not appear
until the establishment of the Fort
Plain Spring and Axle Works in 1870.
These are said to have been the larg-
est works of their kind in the country
and are mentioned later. With the
decline of agriculture hereabouts its
importance as a market center dimin-
ished and its country trade was split

up somewhat with other towns. The
building of railroads in the Susque-
hanna valley attracted to southern
railroad centers the trade which
largely came north through the Ots-
quago valley to Fort Plain, as its nat-
ural outlet, prior to 1870.

The Utica and Schenectady railroad
was completed in 1836 and the growing
town of Fort Plain became a lively
place on the new road. The original
small station was later used as a hay
barn and stood just to the south of the
river bridge, on the Nelliston side, un-
til about 1890. August 1, 1836, the day
of the opening of the road, was a great
event for Fort Plain as well as the rest
of the Mohawk valley towns and
crowds gathered to watch the first
train pass. The new Central station
and grounds is one of the model ones
along the line and was built of stone in
1902.

The first newspaper in Fort Plain
was the Fort Plain Watch Tower,
established in 1827 or 1828. After
many changes this became the Mohawk
Valley Register in 1854. The Fort
Plain Standard was established in
1876 and the Fort Plain Free Press in
1883. Other publications have been
issued from time to time, the village
at one time having a little-needed
daily paper. The Clionian Argus, later
the Clionian, was a monthly publica-
tion issued for over fifteen years (1883-
1890) by one of the literary societies of
Clinton Liberal Institute. The Regis-
ter is (1913) Montgomery county's old-
est newspaper.

As has been stated, from the canal
completion in 1825 until the Civil war
period is the Fort Plain era of the de-
velopment of business and transporta-
tion. This time was one of building
and general village growth. Many
large and imposing brick dwellings
were erected, which today, with their
generally attractive grounds, give an
air of solidity and permanence to the
village as a whole. This period was
also one of broader social life in many
ways, compared with today, and the
homes were more generally the attrac-
tive scenes of social gatherings, often
of considerable size. Later house con-

296

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIxN

struction, as a rule, has been of smaller
dwellings of frame and these have
been built in very closely toward the
center of the town.

A public school was already located
in the village when incorporated in 1S32.
The old wooden building, a veritable
firetrap, was replaced in 1879 by the
present brick structure, which has
since been enlarged. In 1893 this was
made into the Fort Plain High school,
with a primary and grammar school
department. A school conducted in
the "Lockville" section was united with
the main one at that time. A new site
and building for the Fort Plain High
school is now (1914) under considera-
tion.

The Fort Plain Bank was organized
Dec. 25, 1838. The National Fort Plain
Bank was the name after a reorgani-
zation in 1864. The Farmers and Me-
chanics Bank, a state institution, was
inaugurated 1887.

The Fort Plain Seminary and Col-
legiate Institute was erected in 1853,
by a stock company with a capital of
$32,000 and chartered by the regents of
the university, Oct. 20 of that year.
The first scholastic year of the insti-
tution began Nov. 7, 1853, with 513
students. lu 1879 this large brick
structure was remodeled into a still
larger building of five stories and oc-
cupied by Clinton Liberal Institute,
which removed here from Clinton.
This was a school under the patronage
of the Universalist denomination and
continued to fill an important educa-
tional mission until it was unfortu-
nately destroyed by fire in 1900. In-
struction was given in academical, col-
lege preparatory and commercial
courses and there was an important
and largely attended line arts depart-
ment which schooled in music, elocu-
tion, and drawing and painting. In
its latter years a military department
was added and plans were on foot to
make it exclusively a boys' military
school when it was destroyed. It occu-
pied a beautiful site of about ten acres
on high ground and had, beside the
main building, a gymnasium, a large
armory and athletic field. Crowds
came to witness the field sports and

the baseball and football matches in
which this preparatory school fre-
quently competed successfully with
college teams. "C. L. I." was a center
of culture for all the people of the
middle Mohawk valley and its destruc-
tion was a great educational loss to
not only Fort Plain, but a great area
of country about it. Its park-like site
was known first as "Seminary Hill"
and later as "Institute Hill." An effort
was made to have it converted into a
public park and site for the High
school, but this unfortunately failed of
a majority in a village election held in
1909. Over 200 students were in at-
tendance at C. L. I. during some years.

The town of Minden, including Fort
Plain, bore its full share of the terri-
ble cost,, in lives and treasure, of the
War of the Rebellion. Minden as a
whole furnished 518 men at an ex-
pense, beside the county bounty, of
.$154,143. This is according to Beer's
1878 History. The Grand Army of the
Republic is (1913) represented in Fort
Plain by Klock Post, G. A. R., named
after Capt. Klock of St. Johnsville.
See the chapter on Montgomery county
in the Civil war.

The construction of the West Shore
railroad in 1883 made Fort Plain a
station on the new line, which has
lately been denominated South Fort,
Plain to differentiate it from the New
York Central station and to avoid con-
fusion among shippers. The comple-
tion of the West Shore railroad in
1883 was marked by a disastrous Avreck
on that road at Diefendorf Hill to the
north of Fort Plain. Two passenger
trains, scheduled to pass each other
at the Fort Plain station at noon, col-
lided through some misunderstanding
of orders. Several lives were lost and
the wreck was most spectacular, one
of the engines being shoved upright
into an almost perpendicular position.
What was to have been a day of cele-
liration was changed into one of gloom
at Fort Plain. The wreck was viewed
Ijy large crowds of people.

Shortly before the completion of the
West Shore, occurred a riot of Italian
laborers and several of them were
wounded by townspeople who broke up

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

297

the gathering in front of the Zoller
house, which they besieged, as in it
was hidden the contractor wlio owed
them their wages. The day was one
of great excitement for Fort Plain.

About 1870 the Fort Plain Spring
and Axle Works was established in
Fort Plain, the business having been
originally located in Springfield Cen-
tre. This was a large industry, em-
ploying a considerable force of men,
many of them mechanics of the high-
est class earning high wages. This
plant was the first important village
manufacturing concern and its re-
moval to Chicago Heights in 1894 was
a distinct loss to the village for sev-
eral years. Two important silk mills
were located in Fort Plain in a period
between about 1880 and 1884. The
largest, located on Willett street, was
burned in 1884 and this was an event
temporarily disastrous to the town.

One of the largest Canal street firms
doing business had its grain elevator
and mill burned in a spectacular fire
in 1883. After this date the canal bus-
iness fell off rapidly. At present in
the village of Fort Plain are industries
devoted to the manufacture of fur-
niture, knit goods, silk, toy wagons,
paper boxes, broombands, lithographed
tin, corn buskers, hose bands, can
openers, pickles, cabinet and bookcase
work, condensed milk and many minor
industries.

The 1912 Industrial Directory of the
State of New York issued by the De-
partment of I^abor gives the following
manufacturing statistics relative to
Fort Plain:

Fort Plain (Montgomery county), in-
corporated as a village in 1832; esti-
mated population in 1913, 2,857. Fort
Plain is situated on the Mohawk river,
the Erie [Barge] canal, and the West
Shore railroad. The village of Nellis-
ton, on the opposite [north] side of the
river on the New York Central rail-
road, is a part of Fort Plain industri-
ally. The principal manufactures are
knit goods and furniture. The village
is an important trading center for the
surrounding country, which is devoted
to dairy farming and general agricul-
ture. Building stone is found in the
vicinity of the village; there is consid-
erable undeveloped water power with-
in ten miles. [There is also the elec-
tric power derived from the power sta-

tion of the Mohawk Hydro-Electric Co.
by direct transmission line from
Ephratah, six miles distant.] Fort
Plain has a sewer system, municipal
water works and electric lighting [and
power] service.

Twenty-two manufactories with 737
employes. Those employing over 10
hands are, Bailey Knitting Mills, knit
goods, 441; A. & C. A. Hix, furniture.
86; Duffy Silk Co., silk throwing, 52;
Fort Plain Knitting Co.. knit goods,
46; Empire State Metal Wheel Co.,
children's wagons, 21; Century Cabi-
net Co., bookcases, 16; Borden Con-
densed Milk Co., condensed milk (in
Nelliston), 15; J. M. Yordon, paper
boxes, 11. 14 small factories, 49. The
principal industries are knit goods
with 487 employes and furniture with
102 employes.

Fort Plain has gas and electric
light. It also has electric power fur-
nished by the Mohawk Hydro-Elec-
tric Co. The concern has rights to the
use of the water in the Caroga lakes
and is one of the few water power
companies that has a dependable
water supply, particularly during the
summer months. The introduction of
this power into Fort Plain in 1912 un-
doubtedly means much to the future
industrial growth of this town, as it is
claimed that power can be developed
here as cheaply as anywhere in the
east. The Mohawk Hydro-Electric
company gave the free use of electric-
ity to the merchants of Fort Plain
during the street fair of 1912, which
resulted in a brilliant electric display
in the village streets, quite unique
among the towns of the valley. See the
chapter on western Montgomery coun-
ty hydro-electric power development.

In 1884 a Woman's Literary society
was organized in Fort Plain with a
membership of about forty. Shortly
after this organization was effected it
was decided that the efforts of its
members should be directed toward
the establishment of a public library.
With this idea in view a "book recep-
tion" has held at the home of one of
its members, and a number of books
and some contributions of money were
received. It was resolved to work un-
der the name of the Women's Library
Association of Fort Plain and the con-
stantly growing collection of books
was housed at a number of places, un-

298

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

til 1909 when the children of the late
James H. AVilliams, in conjunction with
Miss Sadie J. Williams, all of Brook-
lyn, gave the use of the house at the
corner of River and Willett streets to
the Fort Plain Public Library, which
had been incorporated under that
name. This was presented as a me-
morial to one of Fort Plain's first mer-
chants, Harvey E. Williams, and his
son, James H. Williams, who was born
here. The library was also willed
$1,000 by the late John Winning and
$2,000 by the late Homer N. Lock-
wood. Aside from these library gifts,
the Catherine Nellis Memorial chapel
and a drinking fountain presented by
the late Charles Tanner, are the only
public benefactions to the people of
Fort Plain within the writer's knowl-
edge.

Fort Plain has many fraternal, so-
cial and church organizations. The
Old Fort Plain band has been a high-
class musical organization for a half
century, and at one time the town
had two bands. The volunteer fire de-
partment has generally maintained a
high degree of efficiency. The Fort
Plain club was originally organized as
an athletic and social club of young
men in 1891. It took in business men
as members the same year and became
a business men's social organization.
The merchants and manufacturers of
the town are organized under the title
of the Associated Business Interests of
Fort Plain. Fort Plain Lodge. No. 433,
F. and A. M., was organized June 17,
1858.

A railroad, from Fort Plain to Rich-
field Springs and Cooperstown, has
been agitated ever since an initial
meeting of townspeople, to further that
object, in 1828. In 1894 work was
actually begun, a right of way having
been obtained. Much of the road bed
was constructed but the contractors
failed and the project fell through.

In the fall of 1898 a number of Main
street merchants got up, on the spur
of the moment, a display of farm
fruits and produce on the sidewalks in
front of their stores, and this was the
nucleus of the Fort Plain street fair.

famed throughout Central New York.
Great crowds come by horse and auto-
mobile conveyances and by trains from
up and down the valley to this Sep-
tember carnival. Excellent displays of
fruit, farm produce, field crops and
poultry are held under canvas covered
booths on the brick pavement of Canal
and Main streets. As many as 50,000
visitors are estimated to have attended
the fair, during the week in which it
is held, and 15,000 are said to have been
present on a single day. The manage-
ment is vested with the Fort Plain
Street Fair association and the neces-
sary funds are raised by private sub-
scriptions. Free attractions are an-
nually offered and the crowds, while
full of the fair and carnival spirit and
addicted to much noise, are invariably
orderly and arrests and petty crimes
are almost unknown.

In the years from 1880 to 1910, Fort
Plain established water, electric light
and sewage systems. The water sys-
tem was originally owned by a private
company, with reservoir in Freys-
bush. The village instituted its own
plant in 1895, with reservoir in Pala-
tine, a mile northeast of the town. Its
water is taken from North creek, a
branch of the Caroga. In 1903 parts
of Canal and Main streets were paved
with brick and since that time the
main thoroughfares have been so
paved. About 1885 occurred the de-
velopment of Prospect Hill as a resi-
dential section.

In 1911, Atwood, the aviator, made
his epoch-making trip by aeroplane
from St. Louis to New York. He land-
ed in a field on the B. I. Nellis farm
in Nelliston. This was his only over-
night stop in the Mohawk valley
which he used as his route from Syra-
cuse to Castleton on the Hudson. He
landed near Glen village, Montgomery
county, on the day following his stop
in Nelliston. The history of Nelliston
it might be here remarked, is practic-
ally coincident with that of Fort Plain,
since about 1850 when Nelliston began
to grow into the pleasant and attrac-
tive town it now is. The date of At-
wood's landing at Nelliston was Aug.

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

299

22, 1911. Atwood slept that night in
Fort Plain, where he was accorded, as
he said, the best reception of his whole
journey.

In 1911 the Fritcher opera house
was burned and the Fort Plain theatre
was erected in the same year. A U. S.
Government building, housing the
postofRce and costing, with site. $65,-
000, is provided for and will soon be
erected.

The following gives the known fig-
ures of the population of Fort Plain:
1825, 200; 1832, 400; 1860, 1,592; 1870,
1,797; 1880, 2,443; 1890, 2 864; 1900,
2,444; 1910, 2,762. Fort Plain and Nel-
liston, combined, population figures:
1880, 3,001; 1890, 3,585; 1900. 3,078;
1910, 3,499. Fort Plain and Nelliston
are virtually one community, on oppo-
site sides of the Mohawk.

The following are the population fig-
ures for the town of Minden: 1850,
4,623; 1860, 4,412; 1870, 4,600; 1880,
5.100; 1890, 5,198; 1900, 4,541; 1910,
4,645.

The Reformed society moved from
Sand Hill to Fort Plain and built a
chvvrch in 1834 on its present site.
This burned and in 1835 a structure,
long known as "the brick church," was
built which was repaired in 1872.
While these were building, the congre-
gation used the church at Sand Hill,
but upon the completion of the brick
one the old structure to the west of
the village, was demolished. The ec-
clesiastical relations of this church are
with the classis of Montgomery and
through it with the General Synod of
the Reformed Church in America. In
1887 a new and architecturally import-
ant brick church was built by the
Reformed -society and an adjoining
frame dwelling was purchased and be-
came the parsonage.

The first Methodist class in Fort
Plain was formed, June 24, 1832. In
early times the Methodist services
were occasionally held in the Sand
Hill church, but more frequently in
the second story of a building that
stood near the Clark place on Upper
Canal street. When this building was
moved to a spot near the present Shin-

aman drug store, the Methodists con-
tinued its use as a meeting place.
Then for several years before 1842
services were held in what was at
that time the district school house,
which occupied the site of the present
one. The first Methodist church was
dedicated Feb. 20, 1845. In 1854 it
was enlarged and re-dedlcated. In
1879, a large new brick structure was
erected on the old site. A Methodist
church (of frame construction) was
built in Nelliston in 1895.

The first Universalist society of
Minden was organized April 6, 1833,
and the first church was dedicated
Dec. 25, 1833. It was remodeled in
1855 and 1874. In 1896 the old frame
structure was torn down and a large,
brick church was erected on the site.
The (German) Lutheran church so-
ciety held its first meetings in 1842 in
private houses. The first church
building was built in 1853. The pres-
ent brick structure was completed in
1874. A Baptist society was formed
in 1891 and a brick church was built
in 1892. A Catholic frame church was
erected in 1887. An Episcopal church
was erected on Prospect Hill in 1887
and in 1899 was removed to the corner
of Lydius and Washington streets.

Fordsbush or Minden, in the south-
west corner of the town of Minden,
has two churches, Lutheran and Uni-
versalist. The Universalist was or-
ganized in 1838 and the church was
enlarged and rebuilt in 1874.

The Freysbush Lutheran church was
organized in 1834. In 1841 a house of
worship was built, and a large team
shed adjoining in 1845. A parsonage
and barn were erected in 1868. Meth-
odist services have been held in Freys-
bush since 1812, but the place did not
become an independent pastoral charge
until 1847. The church building of the
society is the second occupied by
them, its predecessor having been the
first Methodist church built in the
town of Minden.

The association managing the ceme-
tery of Fort Plain was organized
March 4, 1864. It occupies, on the
heights in the northwest corner of the
village territory, a large and beautiful

300

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

location. The view of the valley ob-
tained from it is very fine and this
park-like burial place is one of the
most important in Central New York.
The stone Catherine Nellis Memorial
chapel, of inuch beauty and architec-
tural merit, is the gift of Mrs. H. H.
Benedict of New York, in memory of
her mother, and was erected in 1907.

Minden today is a prosperous dairy-
ing and farming section and it is famed
for the beauty of its rolling hills and
wooded valleys. Fort Plain has
many advantages, and some disadvan-
tages of location. In Prospect hill, it
has a sightly viewpoint, the equal of
which is not possessed by any valley
town excepting Little Falls. The vis-
tas opened up to a spectator on this
hill are wide and exceedingly pleasing
in their variety of river, canal, fertile
fields and distant wooded hills. It is
a valley section and a village with a
situation and a setting, which offers
unusual opportunities for the factory,
for the dwellers in the town or on the
fertile farms round about it.

Prospect Hill is a valley eminence
and a little hill of the world — a place
of today and of yesterday; though but
of comparatively low elevation it has
the breath of the far uplands and the
clear upper summits of the Mohawk
valley. Along its margins yet remain
a few vestiges of the ancient forest,
which covered this viewpoint and
stretched away in every direction to
the summits of the distant high hills
in the days of the Mohawks. Here are
oaks, elms,, a few pines, and other of
our noble native trees. To the south-
ward Prospect Hill rises to a noble
height of two hundred feet above the
river. This portion of this upland was
the Tarahjohrees, or "the hill of
health" of the Mohawks, and its sum-
mit would be easily accessible, from
the wooded little valley and brook
(which lies just south of the southern
limits of the village of Fort Plain and
enters the Mohawk at the upper end of
Nellis island) were it not for many
V)arbed-wire fences intervening. From
Prospect Hill one can easily imagine
the valley as it was — perhaps as it will

be — and view it as it is. Its aloofness
suggests pictures of the past while its
close proximity to village, railroads
and canal, gives an intimate insight
into the valley and village life of to-
day. Its triangular bluff point, abut-
ting on Otsquago creek should be-
come a village park, to prevent its use
for other purposes.

Mason's 1892 History of Montgomery
County published the following on the
town of Minden: "This is the south-
west corner town of the count.v^ and
lies on the south bank of the Mohawk.
Its boundaries are formed by the Mo-
hawk on the north, '.^.inn.ioharie on thi>
east, Otsego county on the south and
Herkimer county on the west. Tiie
surface of Minden consists chiefly of
an undulating upland with steep de-
clivities bordering on the streams.
Otsquago creek [M'hich rises almost
twenty miles away in Otsego county]
flows in a northeasterly direction, re-
ceiving the waters of the Otsquene
creek (its principal tributary) about
the center of the town, and emptying
into the Mohawk ;,t Fort Plain. Ots-
quago is derived from the Mohawk
word 'Oxsquago,' signifying 'under the
bridge.' The other streams of the town
are of minor importance. The branches
of the Otsquago radiate largely through
the greater part of the town." There
are besides, eight small brooks run-
ning into the Mohawk to the north of
Fort Plain. The largest of these is the
picturesque one which flows through
Oak Hill and alongside the Dutchtown
road for a distance of four miles. One
of the most interesting little brooks of
Minden is the Little Woods creek,
which flows through a pretty little val-
ley along the northern side of the pla-
teau on which stood old Fort Plain.
This rivulet forms the northern limit
of the village limits of Fort Plain. Just
to the south of the village limits lies
another Little lirook running from
Prospect Hill into the Mohawk, and
the 21/^ square miles of Fort Plain's
territory lie, generally speaking, be-
tween these two little streams. The
greatest length of Minden from, north-
east to southwest, is ten miles, and its

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

301

greatest breadth, along the river is
eight miles.

"The soil throughout the greater part
of the town is a fine quality of gravelly
and clayey loam, and is well adapted
to grazing. In dairy products, Minden
has always been in advance of the
neighboring towns, and the cultivation
of hops has also been an important
feature in agricultural pursuit [but has
now ceased to be.]" '

Minden is said to be the largest pro-
ducer of dairy products of the five
towns of the famous dairying section
of western Montgomery county. Like
the balance of western Montgomery
county, hay, oats and corn are the
principal crops. The Fort Plain Milk
Co. controls (1914) a number of dairies
and the milk from 3,000 cows.

"Much interest is added to the his-
tory of Minden by the fact that it con-
tains the remains of one of those an-
cient fortifications, which are not un-
common in central and western New
York, but are rare in the eastern part
of the state. They indicate that the
country was inhabited long prior to the
advent of the [Iroquois] Indians, and,
with the exception of similar remains
recently discovered in Ephratah, are
the farthest east thus far discovered
even by the geologist. They are situ-
ated four miles south of Fort Plain on
a promontory ["Indian Hill" on the
Otsquene, a half mile from its junction
with the Otsquago], 100 feet above the
stream, the declivities being almost
precipitous. Across the promontory, at
its narrowest part, is a curved line of
breastworks, 240 feet in length, en-
closing an area of about seven acres.
A gigantic pine, six feet in diameter,
stands upon the embankment, giving
added proof that the work must have
been of great antiquity." The facts
here given concerning this prehistoric
Indian site are credited to "Smith-
sonian Contributors," Vol. 2, article 6.

Indian Hill is a most interesting
place, well worthy a visit, and evidenc-
ing markedly the picturesque beauty of
the Otsquago valley. Many Indian re-
mains (pottery, arrowheads, etc.) have
been here uncovered.

Minden has the following hamlets

within its borders: Mindenville, Min-
den, Hallsville, Brookmans Corners,
Salt Springville (part in Minden and
part in Otsego county), and Freys-
bush. Its elevation above the sea
ranges from about 300 feet, at the Mo-
hawk at Fort Plain, to 9S6 feet at Salt
Springville. Between the sites of Fort
Windecker and Fort Willett the land
is 894 feet elevation. Oak Hill has an
elevation above the Mohawk of 500
feet and Prospect Hill of over 100 feet.
A furlong or more below the village
limits curious spurs or small, sharp
"noses" abut on the flatlands. One of
these is over 200 feet above the river
and the Erie canal is almost at its
feet. A magnificent view up and
down the valley for a distance of
twelve miles or more is here obtained
and this is probably the highest ground
so close to the river between Fall Hill
and the Noses. A point on the Seebers
Lane road, a mile south of the village
on the Canajoharie-Minden line, has
an elevation of 500 feet or more above
the Mohawk and a sea level elevation
of over 800 feet. This is probably the
highest land near the village. From
all these sightly points magnificent
views may be obtained. They are the
principal elevations of the eastern end
of the town lying along the river, from
which they may be readily seen.

However, the beauty of Minden .
scenery is not alone in these lofty
lookouts but also along the Otsquago,
in the woodlands, and on the upland
meadows where graze the peculiarly
marked and belted Holstein-Frisian
cattle, making curious spots of black
and white on a background of attrac-
tive landscape. The numerous farms,
with their buildings, may generally be
objects of pride to the _ people of
Minden.

Miss Margaret B. Stewart is the au-
thor of the following paper on "The
Founding of Fort Plain:"

"Long before Fort Plain [the present
village] was even thought of and be-
fore the Erie canal was dreamt of,
there were but few residents who
owned the soil on which Fort Plain
now stands. The mercantile, postof-

302

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

flee and other business was transacted
at Sand Hill. 'Pingster Day' was a
great holiday for the slaves. They had
a peculiar dance they called 'To-to'
dance, which always met at Wagner's
tavern, and as [this part of] Fort
Plain had no name, it was commonly
known as 'To-to-ville' and next as
Wagnersville [probably from the tav-
ern]. Just as soon as the project of
the canal became a fact, the ground
for a village was surveyed and staked
out, a map drawn, and, before the canal
was finished, the sale of lots began
and immediately buildings were erect-
ed, ready for business on the canal.
At this period there were no churches,
no halls, and all the ground from Mo-
hawk and Canal streets up to the
Grouse bluff was vacant, up as far as
Abeel's along the canal [with the ex-
ception of a few buildings as noted in
previous chapters].

"Religion and politics ran high for
those were stormy days. As I said
before, there were no churches then,
and the Methodists, Dutch Reformed
and Universalists held their meetings
in the schoolhouse, which stood on its
present site. First one would occupy
it, then the other, and the other. The
doctrine of the Universalists was new
to Fort Plain, and the orthodox opened
fire on them and threw hot shell into
their camp, and the Universalists fired
back. Each tried to hold the fort and
a fierce discussion in the schoolhouse,
in the streets, stores and shops was
kept up, which entirely divided the
community — a kind of cat and dog re-
ligion. The Methodists brought out
their heaviest gun — Elder Knapp, one
of the most popular and redhot revi-
valists in the state. He hurled the
■ Universalists into hell, without giving
them time to pull off their boots. The
Dutch Reformed brought on their big
gun, Ketcham of Stone Arabia, who
helped kindle hell's fire and get it boil-
ing. Then the Universalists got Dr.
Skinner, of Utica, with a cartload of
ice and put out the fire. So it went
and the people took sides and the
schoolhouse was too small. The result
was that the Universalists built their
church and the Dutch Reformed built

their church — a frame building — on
the site where the brick building now
stands. The churches were built and
finished at the same time and were to
be dedicated the same day.

"The night before dedication, the
Dutch Reformed church burned down,
but money was raised and a brick
church was erected on the same spot.
Next came up the subject of incorpor-
ating the village, and in 1831 there was
no opposition, except in the name.
Some wanted the village named Fort
Plank and others Fort Plain. Finally
Fort Plain was agreed upon and on the
25th of April, 1832, the village was in-
corporated."

Fort Plain was the home of George
W. Elliott and Jeptha R. Simms, both
known through their literary labors.

Jeptha R. Simms was born in Can-
terbury, Conn., Dec. 31, 1807. His
father, Capt. Joseph Simms, removed
to Plainfield, N. Y., in 1824. Beginning
1826, J. R. Simms was a clerk in Cana-
joharie, for three years, going from
there to New York city. In the fall of
1832 he returned to Canajoharie and
went into business with Herman I.
Ehle, a former employer. After a
clerkship for a time in Schoharie, Mr.
Simms set about collecting the scat-
tered materials for his "History of
Schoharie County and Borders Wars
of New York," published in 1845. In
1846 he published a Revolutionary tale
entitled the "American Spy" and, in
1850, the "Trappers of New York." In
1882 was issued his "Frontiersmen of
New York," in two volumes, dealing
with Mohawk valley history, princi-
pally of the Revolution, and particu-
larly with that of the neighborhood
immediately adjacent to Fort Plain. It
is largely owing to his labors that so
much of local record has been pre-
served. Mr. Simms died in Fort Plain
in 1883, aged 76 years.

Simms lived in Fultonville for a
number of years and while there pub-
lished his "Border Wars" in 1845; and
also erected a very handsome resi-
dence built of cobblestones, every one
of which he gathered in the vicinity
and for the outside course he sized

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

303

them through a hole in a board to have
them uniform. This dwelling, still in
fine condition, is in possession of
Starin Industrial and Benevolent asso-
ciation and called Cobblestone Hall.

George W. Elliott was a resident of
Fort Plain in the sixties and married
Mary Bowen, daughter of Solomon
Bowen, who for years conducted Mont-
gomery Hall (later the Lipe House),
which was remodeled into the present
building of the Farmers and Mechan-
ics Bank. Elliott was editor of the
(Fort Plain) "Mohawk Valley Regis-
ter" for a time and wrote much pleas-
ing poetry. His best known produc-
tion is "Bonny Eloise, the Belle of the
Mohawk Vale," which has become the
song of the valley. It is said he com-
posed the words to this popular mel-
ody while on a railroad journey from
New York to Fort Plain, addressing
his song to his sweetheart, Mary
Bowen (with a, change of name). The
work bears copyright date of 1858 and
J. R. Thomas was the composer, of the
plaintively sweet melody to which Mr.
Elliott's words are sung. .The lyric
follows:

Bonny Eloise.

Oh, sweet is the vale where the Mo-
hawk gently glides
On its clear winding way to the sea.
And dearer than all storied streams on
earth besides
Is this bright rolling river to me.

(Chorus)

But sweeter, dearer, yes dearer far
than these,

Who charms where others all fail.
Is blue-eyed, bonny, bonny Eloise,

The belle of the Mohawk vale.

Oh, sweet are the scenes of my boy-
hood's sunny years.
That bespangle the gay valley o'er.
And dear are the friends seen through
memory's fond tears
That have lived in the blest days of
yore.

(Chorus)

Oh, sweet are the moments when
dreaming I roam
Thro' my loved haunts now mossy
and grey,
And dearer than all is my childhood's
hallowed home.
That is crumbling now slowly away.

(Chorus)

Lossing wrote, in 1848, concerning
Fort Plain and its surrounding coun-
try, as follows, in his "Pictorial Field
Book of the American Revolution:"

"Fort Plain (at the junction of the
Otsquago creek and the Mohawk) one
of the numerous comely children
brought forth and fostered by the pro-
lific commerce of the Erie canal, is
near the site of the fortification of
that name erected in the Revolution.

■V ■*" T" *P •!• "T"

"At Fort Plain I was joined by my
traveling companions, * * * and
made it my headquarters for three
days, while visiting places of interest
in the vicinity. It being a central
point in the hostile movements in
Tryon counti% from the time of the
flight of St. Leger from before Fort
Stanwix until the close of the war, we
will plant our telescope of observation
here for a time, and view the most
important occurrences within this par-
ticular sweep of its speculum. * * *

"Who that has passed along the
Valley of the Mohawk, near the close
of a day in summer, has not been
deeply impressed with the singular
beauty of the scene? Or who, that
has traversed the uplands, that skirt
this fruitful garden, and stretch away
to other valleys, and mingle with the
loftier hills or fertile intervals within
the borders of ancient Tryon county, is
not filled with wonder while contem-
plating the changes that have been
wrought there within a life-span?
When the terrible drama, which we
have been considering, was performed
almost the whole country was covered
with a primeval forest. Clearings were
frequent along the Mohawk river and
cultivation was assiduous in producing
the blessings of abundance and gen-
eral prosperity; but the southern por-
tions of Herkimer and Montgomery,
* * * [much of] Schoharie and all
of Otsego, down to the remote settle-
ments of Unadilla, were a wilderness
except where a few thriving settle-
ments were growing upon the water
courses. The traveler as he views the
'field joined to field' in the Mohawk
valley, all covered with waving
grain, green pastures, or bending fruit

304

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

trees, inclosing, in their arms of plenty,
elegant mansions; or watches the vast
stream of inland commerce that rolls
by upon the Erie Canal; or the villages
of people that almost hourly sweep
along its margin after the vapor steed;
or rides over the adjacent hill country,
north and south, enlivened by villages
and rich in cultivation, can hardly
realize the fact that here, seventy
years ago, the wild Indian was joint
possessor of the soil with the hardy
settlers, and that the light of civiliza-
tion was as scattered and feeble, and
for a while as evanescent and fleeting,
in these broad solitudes, as is the
sparkle of a firefly on a summer even-
ing.. Yet such is the wonderful truth;
and as I passed down the canal, at the
close of the day, from Fort Plain to
Fultonville, surrounded with the ac-
tivity, opulence and beauty of the Mo-
hawk valley, I could not, while con-
trasting this peacefulness and progress
with the discord and social inertia of
other lands, repress the feelings of the
Pharisee."

On the streets of Fort Plain, those
who look aloft see, silhouetted against
the sky, a giant elm on the crest of
Prospect Hill — a presiding spirit of
the hill and of the village — a land-
mark known to all who dwell or have
dwelt within its range. Under its
great branches one may view for miles
the quiet valley and the Mohawk
winding northward. Truly it is a spirit
of the hill, the town and the valley
for it has been a silent witness of all
the many changes of animal and plant
life along the Mohawk from the day
when the dusky Iroquois sped in his
bark canoe upon the rippling waters
till that eventful evening when a bird
man came flying high over the gloom-
ing hills from the far westward. For
this noble tree must have graced this
spot from the day when the very first
white settler made his forest home
within sight of "Tahraghjorees, 'the
hill of health,' " well beloved of the
Mohawks. Here came the first Dutch
traders, of whom we have a record, to
the Iroquois village of Osquago and

here they were well received by its
chieftain, Ognoho, "the wolf."

The big tree of Tahraghjorees has
been a witness of the coming of the
Dutch, German and British; it has
seen the destruction of that immense
forest, of which it was once a unit, and
with it the passing of the Mohawks
who dwelt upon its hill.

Now from this great elm have been
visible many sights of interest to all
our people. Let these visions arise
once more in fleeting succession:

Here come the first white men toil-
ing with poles to push their laden
flatboats up stream to their future
woodland homes; some driving their
cattle and carts along the river trails.

Many of these same pioneers, with
their women and children, later flee
eastward, for the French and Indians
have burned the village at German
Flatts and murdered its people.

Long lines of soldiers stream up and
down the turnpike at the foot of the
hill, going to and returning from
battles with the Canadian French and
Indians. Here come ten thousand sol-
diers— militia and regulars — marching
slowly up the valley; drums beat,
trumpets sound, arms and red coats
glitter in the sunlight; on the river
the batteaux slowly creep westward
bearing army supplies and munitions.
It is General Amherst's great army on
its way to capture Montreal and Can-
ada from the French.

On a hill to the west sturdy Ger-
mans are building the blockhouses and
stockade of old Fort Plain.

Up the valley march the patriot far-
mers on their way to the gory field of
Oriskany; back come the straggling
svirvivors, carrying their wounded
comrades in litters and on river boats.

The green summer landscape is
spotted with the fire and smoke of
burning buildings, while Brant and his
merciless savages are raiding over the
Minden hills; distant tiny figures are
fleeing toward the fort; bands of
naked, yelling brutes are in chase,
striking down bloodily those they
catch.

Here comes a great column of Am-
erican soldiers; Van Rens.selaer is

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

305

riding at their head; they beg liim to
lead on to Stone Arabia where smoke
is rising from the fires set by John-
son's raiders; the listless general, un-
heeding, rides on to the fort to fill his
stomach to the full; his men cursing
cross the river at the island and chase
the foe up the river; the red and white
savages escape in the night.

A rider gallops furiously along the
turnpike, plunges through the creek
and up to the fort; drums beat and a
battalion of fighting men come
swarming like bees from out a hive;
there they go rapidly tramping by to
the field of Johnstown; at their head
rides the big, powerful figure of Mar-
inus Willett.

Washington and Clinton, with their
escort of Continental officers, ride out
from old Fort Plain over the trail to
Otsego lake.

Now come the settlers' caravans, the
"prairie schooners," rolling to the dis-
tant west over the valley highways;
great fiat-wheeled freight wagons
crawl slowly eastward and westward.
The first mail stagecoach comes rat-
tling cheerily up the southern turn-
pike. Its arrival is a lively event to
the valley folk. People go to the tav-
ern to see if the stage has brought
them letters or newspapers.

Men are tearing down the fort on
the distant hillside; farmers are draw-
ing away its timbers and palisades.

Up the river, at the Island, the
sturdy valley men are making the first
bridge in sight across the Mohawk.

River boats, heavily laden with arms
and supplies, move laboriously up the
Mohawk. Columns of the men of 1812
march to the westward to defend the
New York frontier from British in-
vasion; many sons of the valley are in
the ranks.

Myriads of tiny figures are dig-
ging a great ditch parallel with the
river, in which to float greater freight
and passenger boats; they are chang-
ing the channel of the Otsquago at
the foot of the hill; streets are being
laid out, dwellings and stores are going
up on the flatlands, where before were
but a few scattered houses; the noise
of building is heard all the day long.

A railroad has been built on the east
or "north" bank of the Mohawk;
crowds of people gather at the Fort
Plain station to watch the first trains
go by, crowded with cheering travel-
ers; all make this a great holiday.

Men are stringing wires on poles
along the railroad; to the incredulous
watchers they say men will signal and
talk through the tiny metal wire.

Drums are beating in the valley be-
low; crowds are watching the "boys in
blue" marching to entrain for south-
ern battlefields where northern brother
will clash with southern brother; ere
long the black hearse wends its way
up the hillside to the white, monu-
ment-dotted cemetery, bearing ■ one
killed in this dread war; sorrowing
women, children and men follow to the
soldier's grave, where on Decoration
day waves a tiny flag of red, white and
blue.

Brick factories arise on the river
flats.

Another railroad is being made along
the south or "west" bank of the river;
here and there are clusters of shanties,
housing the brawny, swarthy men who
do the necessary vigorous labor.

The first automobile whirls through
the village streets; it becomes one of
the many nine-day wonders the val-'
ley people have seen.

Men raise a great dam and lock of
cement across the Mohawk, filling the
stream to its bank tops; where, in the
old days the Indian canoe danced on
the dark waters and the laden bat-
teaux slowly floated, great barges will
glide from lakes to ocean and from
ocean to lakes.

Out of the summer evening sky to
the north a great bird shape comes
sailing and drops on a Palatine mea-
dow. People run madly to greet its
man pilot.

From the northern hills comes a line
of great wires, strung on iron pillars,
running across the fields and through
the opposite village to Fort Plain,
bringing the electric power generated
by the waters of the Caroga — power
which, in the future, will supplant coal,
which will heat and light and furnish

306

THE STORY OF OLD FORT PLAIN

the energy to turn the humming fac-
tory wheels of the town.

On the hills is in evidence much of
the agricultural detail of these broad
rolling farmlands, stretching miles
away to the far horizon — the roads,
fields, crops, woods, farmhouses, barns
and herds — the living moving dots of
people and animals seeming no larger
than the tiny ants scurrying about in
the grass at our feet. The loaded hay-
wagon moves slowly toward the big
barn on the distant hilltop; the milk
wagon rattles along the road with its
load bound for the village creamery or
condensed milk factory; countless au-
tomobiles glide swiftly along the turn-
pikes; the farm boy and his dog drive
homeward the black and white cattle
at nightfall; the evening sun casts it
orange radiance on the eastern hills —
here and there a farmhouse window
glows like a point of living flre.

Down in the valley are all the signs
of busy village life; the dawn breaks
over the Palatine hills through the
gray river mist; a few people walk
about in the streets; smoke rises from
the chimneys in the houses where
breakfast is cooking; factory whistles
blow; workers are going to their tasks;
a storekeeper unlocks his store door
and waits upon the farmer who has
just driven into town; the schoolbell
rings; children troop to their daily
lessons, singly and in little groups;
tiny dark figures, motor cars, dot the
brick pavements; farm wagons cross
the river bridge and come rapidly
down the Otsquago road; trains whis-
tle, they rush by, east and west, some

stopping at the stations; school is out
and the happy youngsters skip to play
or dawdle homewards; a solitary canal
boat floats into sight on the Erie; a tug
is unloading goods on the once busy
docks; workers come from their toil;
lights are lit and crowds are astir
along the bright thoroughfares; a
black mass of people gathers at the
street corner and the sound of a band
playing comes softly to the hilltop —
it is "Bonnie Eloise" the musicians
are playing; black night comes on;
the moon rises and illumines the twin
pale strips of river and canal; lights
blot out in the house and the town, the
people, the countryside go to sleep;
the night wind softly stirs the
branches of the great tree.

It is Sunday; the village church bells
ring clangingly, ponderously; a knell
for the past, brave notes for the now
and the days to come; couples of
young people climb the hill, clad in
their best; the father, the mother and
the children slowly walk to the sum-
mit; they refresh themselves with a
view of the broad stretches of the val-
ley and the winding river.

Many human animals have seen this
changing panorama in the years gone
by; most have lived, some happily and
some unhappily, and have gone to their
long rest on the distant hilltop.

The big elm, too, saw all that
makes up the human story of old Fort
Plain and of the winding valley; its
great branches still stand against the
sky; its messag:e — "I have seen it all;
I shall see much that is to come."

APPENDIX

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

The following list of dates forms a
chronology of the Mohawk valley and
its six counties of Oneida, Herkimer,
Montgomery, Fulton, Schoharie and
Schenectady. The editor of this work
has found It impossible to secure dates
of secondary importance, which will
explain their absence to those who
think they should have been included.
All the dates of the main events of im-
portance in the history of the Mohawk
valley are here included:

1524 — John de Verezzano, Italian
navigator, enters harbor of New York;
possibly first discoverer of territory of
New York.

1540 — French fur traders build trad-
ing post on Castle Island, in Hudson,
near Albany; destroyed by freshet
same year and abandoned.

1604 — Canada's first permanent white
settlement made at Port Royal, Nova
Scotia, by the French.

1608 — Champlain settles Quebec.

1609 — Champlain and Canadian In-
dians defeat Mohawks on west shore
of Lake Champlain, near Ticonderoga,
making Mohawks lasting enemies of
the French.

1609 — Sailors from the Dutch ship,
Half Moon, pass the mouth of the
Mohawk.

1614 — Dutch trading post established
at Castle Island, near Albany.

1614 — Probable first visit of white
men (two Dutch traders) who came up
the Mohawk and went south to Ot-
sego, probably by way of the Otsquago.

1615 — Champlain's expedition against
the Iroquois defeated in the Onondaga
country.

1616 — First French-Canadian priests
enter Mohawk valley on missionary
work.

1621 — Dutch West India Company

formed, taking possession of New
Netherlands.

1624 — First permanent settlement of
Albany; Fort Orange built; New Am-
sterdam (New York) settled perma-
nently same year.

1626 — New Netherlands (embracing
New York and New Jersey) made a
province or county of Holland.

1634 — Three Dutch traders from Fort
Orange journey on the south side of
Mohawk river through western Mont-
gomery county. They visited eight
Mohawk villages from the Big Nose to
opposite Caroga creek, seven on the
south and one on the north side of the
Mohawk river.

1646 — Jogues, French Jesuit priest,
put to death by Mohawks. Shrine at
Auriesville, Montgomery county,
marks this event.

1658 — Four settlers said to have been
located at Schenectady — Van Slyck,
Lindsay, Glen and Teller. Place said
to have been occupied by white men at
and before 1642.

1659 — Council at Caughnawaga be-
tween Dutch and Mohawks; first held
in the valley.

1661 — Schenectady settled by Dutch;
historically regarded as the first white
settlement in Mohawk valley, although
Schenectady was settled by white men
before this date.

1664 — New Netherlands captured by
the English. Name changed to New
1 ork. New Amsterdam renamed New
York and Fort Orange renamed Al-
bany.

1666 — French and Indians destroy
Mohawk villages; Mohawks escape.

1669, August 18 — Mohawks defeat
Mohicans in battle at Towereune, near
Hoffmans, Schenectady county, ensur-
ing Mohawk control of valley.

308

APPENDIX

1670 (about) — Jan Mabie stone house
built at Rotterdam, Schenectady coun-
ty; oldest existing structure in Mo-
hawk valley.

1673 — Dutch retake New York state
from the' English.

1674 — Dutch turn over New York
again to the English.

1682 — Reformed Dutch church of
Schenectady built; later demolished.

1689 — Mohawks and Iroquois raid
Canada and Montreal.

1689 — Hendrick Frey and family set-
tle at Palatine Bridge.

1689-1697 — First French-British war
in America, known as King William's
war.

1690 — Schenectady burned and peo-
ple massacred by French and Indians;
neighborhood repopulated soon after.

1692 — French-Indian war party at-
tacked and burned Oneida castle. The
Onondagas, fearing attack, burned
their villages and retreated to the
wilderness.

1693 — French -Indian-Canadian expe-
dition, under Count Frontenac, attacks,
captures and burns the three Mohawk
castles; hard fight at upper castle; 300
Mohawks made prisoners; Albany ini-
litia, under Col. Peter Schuyler, pur-
sued and retook 50 captives.

1698 — White population of Mohawk
valley estimated at 300, mostly in
Schenectady county.

1700 — -Vrooman house (brick) Sche-
nectady city, built.

1700 — Schenectady fort rebuilt. It
was originally destroyed in the massa-
cre of 1690. It was later rebuilt and
strengthened in 1735 and in 1780.

1701-1713 — Second French-British
war in America, known as Queen
Anne's war.

1709 — Four Mohawk chiefs, of whom
King Hendrick was one, accompany
Col. Peter Schuyler of Albany to Eng-
land; received by Queen Anne; object
of trip to ally Iroquois closely to Eng-
land.

1710 — Three Mohawk chiefs and
Schuyler return from England to Al-
bany; one chief dies on trip; council
at Albany at which Iroquois renew al-
legiance to England.

1711— Fort Hunter built.

1712 — Queen Anne's (Episcopal)
chapel built at Fort Hunter for re-
ligious instruction of Indians; stone
parsonage built and still standing;
chapel destroyed in building Erie canal,
1817-1825.

1713 — Glen Sanders house, Scotia,
Schenectady county, built; oldest large
house standing in the valley.

1713 (about) — First settlement by
Palatine Germans at Stone Arabia
and on Schoharie creek.

1713 (about) — First church of logs,
built at Stone Arabia — Stone Arabia
Reformed Dutch church.

1714 — Tuscaroras, driven by whites
out of Carolinas, settle among Iro-
quois, who become Six Nations after
this date.

1723, Oct. 19 — Stone Arabia patent of
12,700 acres granted to 27 heads of
families, nearly all Palatine Germans.

1725 — Burnetsfield patent granting
land to Palatine German settlers, from
Little Falls to Frankfort; this year
found the Mohawk valley settled along
the river by Germans from the Noses
westward to Frankfort; also the Scho-
harie valley settled by Germans and
Dutch; eastern end of Mohawk valley
settled by Holland Dutch.

1730 — Major Glen house, Scotia,
Schenectady county, built.

1735 — Governor Yates brick house,
Schenectady city, built.

1738 — William Johnson settles in
Florida, Montgomery county, and
builds Fort Johnson (tirst house of
three).

1738-42 — Sir George Clarke, governor
of province of New York, builds a
stone house on site of Fort Plain and
lives there parts of four years.

1739 — Fort Frey (stone) built at Pal-
atine Bridge; oldest house in Palatine.
■ 1742 — Fort Johnson (stone house)
built, town of Amsterdam, Montgom-
ery county. This was first named
Mount Johnson and later called Fort
Johnson, when fortified; this has made
considerable confusion between John-
son's first two houses.

1743 — Butler frame house, Mohawk
town, Montgomery county, built.

1743-1748 — Third French-British war

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

309

in America, known as King George's
war.

1745 — William Johnson appointed
justice of peace of Albany countj' and
colonel of Albany county militia; sets
about organizing Mohawk valley mi-
litia; appointed commissioner of In-
dian affairs for New York province.

1746, August 4 — Party sent by Col.
William Johnson against French and
Indians, ambushed at Chambly.

1748 — Battle of Beukendaal, Schen-
ectady county, between valley militia
and Canadian Indians; militia ambus-
caded, defeated; 30 killed, 13 cap-
tured.

1750 — Van Alstine stone house built
on Canajoharie creek (probably oldest
in town of Canajoharie).

1750 — Colonel William Johnson made
one of governor's council.

1754 — Commissioners from the colo-
nies attend a Colonial conference at
Albany, to discuss colonial defense
against French; said to be the first
step in the formation of the United
States; Col. Wm. Johnson and Kiifg
Hendrick and delegation of Iroquois
attend; King Hendrick makes famous
speech.

1754-1763 — Fourth French-British
war in America, known as' the Seven
Years war. Officially it lasted from
1756-1763 — but in America it began in
1754 and ended in 1760.

1755 — Fort Canajoharie built a^t pres-
ent Indian Castle (Herkimer county)
to protect Mohawks at Canajoharie
castle.

1755 — Major-General William John-
son in command of British-American
army defeats French in Battle of Lake
George; 250 Mohawk warriors in force;
King Hendrick, Mohawk chief killed.
Johnson made a baronet and reap-
pointed Indian superintendent.

1756 — -Fort Klock (stone house) built
in town of St. Johnsville, Montgomery
county.

1756 — Fort Herkimer erected. Fort
Herkimer (Herkimer county) stone
Reformed Dutch church completed;
oldest church standing in Mohawk
valley and probably second oldest in
state (Sleepy Hollow church antedat-
ing it).

1756 — Gen. Webb with British regi-
ment and supplies passes up Mohawk
valley to reinforce Fort Oswego;
French capture fort; W^ebb returns;
Johnson with militia and Indians re-
turns.

1756, August — Gen. Johnson "leads
militia and Indian party to join Gen.
Webb's relief expedition for Fort Wil-
liam Henry, on Lake George; expedi-
tion fails; Fort William Henry is cap-
tured by French.

1756, Nov. 12 — French and Indians
destroj' Palatine village at present
Herkimer, and massacre inhabitants.

1758 — French and Indian attack at
Fort Herkimer (Herkimer county) re-
pulsed.

1758 — April — Col. William Johnson
calls together the Mohawk valley mi-
litia at Canajoharie (Fort Plain) to
repel invasion of French and Indians
at Fort Herkimer. Enemy fled. The
valley militia were with their com-
mander (later Sir William Johnson) in
many of his military expeditions in the
French-Indian war, 1754-1763.

1758, July 8 — Sir William Johnson
and 400 Iroquois warriors join Gen.
Abercrombre's English army at Ti-
conderoga where the army of 7,000
British and 9,000 provincial troops
were totally defeated.

1758 — Fort Stanwix (Rome) built.

1759, Jan. 18 — Conference of Mohawk
and Seneca chiefs with Sir William
Johnson at Canajoharie Castle. In
April, at same place, Iroquois pledge
their assistance to Johnson's expedi-
tion against Fort Niagara; 700 war-
riors later follow Johnson to victory at
this place.

1759 — British-American army under
Sir William Johnson captures French
Fort Niagara; 700 Iroquois warriors
and body of militia with Johnson.

1759 — St. George's Episcopal church,
Schenectady, built.

1759 — Johnstown founded by Sir
William Johnson.

1760, June 12 — Gen. Amherst's Brit-
ish American army of 10.000 (6,000
provincials, 4 000 regulars) leaves
Schenectady and passes up valley en
route to Montreal, which it captures,
ending French power in America;

310

APPENDIX

army's supplies and munitions go
north on Mohawk river. Sir William
Johnson later joins expedition with
1,300 Iroquois warriors in his force.
Amherst's army largest ever in Mo-
hawk valley.

1760 — First white settlement in One-
ida county by Johannes Roof. Settle-
ment abandoned in 1777. Johannes
Roof jr., first white child born in One-
ida countj', born this year.

1763 — Caughnawaga (Fonda), Mont-
gomery county, Reformed Dutch
parsonage built. Church erected 1763;
pulled down in 1868.

1763 — Johnson Hall, Johnstown, Ful-
ton county, built; Sir "William Johnson
removes from Fort Johnson (first call-
ed Mount Johnson), to Johnson Hall,
now owned by New York state.

1764 — Herkimer (brick) house built
by (General) Nicholas Herkimer at
Danube, Herkimer county; now owned
by state.

1765 — Campbell house, Schenectady
city, built.

1766 — Guy Park, stone house, Am-
sterdam, Montgomery county, built by
Sir William Johnson for his nephew,
Guy Johnson.

1768 — Council between Sir William
Johnson, British colonial authorities
and Iroquois at Fort Stanwix in which
Six Nations relinquish large part of
their lands to British Crown.

1769 — Indian Castle. Herkimer coun-
ty, frame church built, largely for Mo-
hawk Indians' instruction.

1770 — Palatine Evangelical Lutheran
(present stone) church built.

1772 — -Schoharie Reformed Dutch
church built at Schoharie Court
House; used as Revolutionary Ameri-
can post— known as the Lower Fort.

1772 — Formation of Tryon county
and the districts of Mohawk, Canajo-
harie. Palatine, German Flats and
Kingsland. Canajoharie, on south
side, and Palatine, on north side, ex-
tended from the Noses to Little Falls.
Johnstown made county seat; jail and
court house built. Population of whole
Mohawk valley estimated at about
15,000; Tryon county, over 10.000.

1774 — First patriotic meeting in
Tryon county, held in Palatine.

1774 — Sir William Johnson dies at
Johnstown; was major-general of New
York militia and Indian superintendent
for all British American colonies; son.
Sir John Johnson succeeds to his es-
tate of 173,000 acres.

1775-1783 — American Revolution of
the thirteen British-American colo-
nies; independence declared.

1775 — Formation of Palatine Com-
mittee of Safety at home of Adam
Loucks in Palatine (first committee of
safety in Tryon county).

1775, May 24 — -First meeting of
Tryon County Committee of Safety
held at William Seeber's in Canajo-
harie district at later Fort Plain.

1775, June 11 — Tryon County Com-
mittee of Safety at Gose Van Al-
stine's house, in Canajoharie, appoints
Christopher P. Yates and John Marlatt
as delegates to New York Provincial
Congress.

1775 — Col. Guy Johnson and large
body of Mohawk Indians and Tories
leave the valley for Canada.
• 1775 — Liberty pole erected by Fort
Herkimer patriots; later cut down by
Tory Sheriff White.

1776, Jan. 18 — Gen. Schuyler ajid
force meets Col. Herkimer and the
Tryon County militia at Caughnawaga;
review held there on the ice on Mo-
hawk river.

1776, Jan. 19 — Gen. Schuyler's and
Col. Herkimer's American forces dis-
arm Johnson and 400 Tories at Johns-
town.

1776 — Fort Plain and Fort Plank
(town of Minden) built; Fort Dayton
Iiuilt; Fort Herkimer, Fort Stanwix
(renamed Fort Schuyler), Fort Hunter
repaired and rebuilt; Johnstown jail
made Fort Johnstown.

1776 — Sir John Johnson and Tory
followers escape from Johnstown to
Canada, as Col. Dayton's American
party enters town to capture them.

1776, August 22 — Tryon county bri-
gade of American militia organized.
Nicholas Herkimer made chief colonel.

1777 — Fort Paris, in Palatine, Fort
Clyde (in Freysbush district of Min-
den), Fort Windecker in Minden, built;
three Schoharie valley forts — upper,
middle and lower — constructed; Upper

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

311

Fort near Brakabeen; Middle Fort
near Middleburg; Lower Fort at Scho-
harie.

1777, May — Gen. Nicholas Herkimer
and the Tryon County Militia go from
Fort Plain to Cherry Valley to Otsego
lake to hold conference with Joseph
Brant and his Indian army at Una-
dilla, with the idea of winning the In-
dians to the American cause or mak-
ing them neutral. The conference is
ineffectual and battle is narrowly
avoided.

1777, August 2 — Fort Schuyler (gar-
risoned by 750 Americans under Col.
Peter Gansevoort) invested by British-
Tory-Indian army under General St.
Leger (1.600 men).

1777, August 4 — Tryon county mi-
litia, commanded by Brig. -Gen. Nicho-
las Herkimer, starts march fr«m Fort
Dayton to relieve Fort Schuyler.

1777, August 6 — American national
flag — the stars- and stripes — first flown
in battle over Fort Schuyler.

1777, August 6 — Battle of Oriskany
between Tryon county American mi-
litia and St. Leger's British army;
Willett's sortie; drawn battle; 200
British-Tories-Indians killed or wound-
ed; 200 Americans killed or wounded;
General Herkimer mortally wounded;
Tryon county militia retreats to Fort
Herkimer; bloodiest and hardest
fought Revolutionary battle.

1777, August 8— Col. Willett and
Lieut. Stockwell start from Fort
Schuyler for Gen. Schuyler's head-
quarters at Stillwater, on the Hudson,
to secure relief force for Fort Schuyler.

1777, August 12 — Col. John Harper
rides from Schoharie to Albany to se-
cure aid to repel McDonald's Tory and
Indian invasion of Schoharie valley.

1777, August 13 — Col. John Harper,
with 28 regular American cavalrymen
and body of Schoharie militia repulse
and drive off Capt. McDonald's 150 In-
dians and Tories at Vroomans; known
as "Flockey Battle."

1777, August 16 — General Herkimer
dies at his home, Danube, Herkimer
county, of wounds received at Oris-
kany.

1777, August 22— St. Leger's British
force flees from Fort Schuyler on ap-

proach of Gen. Arnold's American
army.

1778, February — Council between
New York state commissioners and
Iroquois Indians at Johnstown. Onei-
das and Tuscaroras renew allegiance;
other four tribes, represented by a few
Mohawks and Onondagas, remain hos-
tile.

1778 — Brant and enemy destroy An-
druston, south of German Flatts, Her-
kimer county.

1778, March — Invasion of Fairfield,
Herkimer county, by party of Tories
and Indians.

1778 April — Indian and Tory raid of
Manheim, Herkimer county.

1778, May 1 — Company of American
soldiers from Fort Paris, Stone Ara-
bia, go in pursuit of party of 20 In-
dians and Tories who raided Ephratah,
the day before, April 30, 1778. Raiders
escape.

1778, May 30— Battle of Cobleskill;
300 Indians and Tories under Brant
ambuscade 50 American regulars and
militia, defeat and almost annihilate
them.

1778, May — Springfield, Otsego coun-
ty, raided by Brant's invaders.

1778, May— Lieut. Matthew Wor-
muth shot by Brant and Indians in
Takaharawa Glen, near Cherry Valley.
Col. Klock and the Palatine battalion
go to Cherry Valley but Brant's party
flees.

1778, Sept. 1 — Brant and enemy raid
German Flats. Helmer, American
scout's heroic run, saves settlers; set-
tlements destroyed.

1778, Nov. 10 — Massacre at Cherry
Valley by party of enemy under Wal-
ter Butler and Brant. Col. Klock and
the Palatine batallion of the Tryon
county militia march to the relief of
Cherry Valley, but the enemy escapes.

1779, April 18 — American expedition,
under Col. Van Schaick, sent from Fort
Schuyler against Onondaga villages;
Onondagas fled and Americans burned
their villages.

1779 — Gen. Clinton's American army
of 1,500 men, enroute to join Gen. Sul-
livan's army invading the Iroquois
country, reach Canajoharie from Sche-
nectady, the supplies, etc., coming by

312

APPENDIX

river batteaux. June 17 Clinton be-
gan moving his troops and supplies
and batteaux (by wagon) to Otsego
lake, which he reached June 30. At
Canajoharie two Tory spies were
hanged. Clinton used the regular
roads from Canajoharie to Otsego,
Ijuilding only short stretches of new
road. Sullivan and Clinton's Ameri-
can army defeated enemy at Elmira,
Aug. 29, and afterward ravaged the
Iroquois country.

1780 — Fort Plain blockhouse built.

1780, May 21 — Sir John Johnson,
commanding 500 Indians and Tories,
raids from Johnstown to the Mohawk
and up the valley to westei-n Mont-
gomery county. Buildings burned and
patriots murdered.

1780, Aug. 2 — Minden raid by In-
dians and Tories under Joseph Brant.
Col. Wemple and militia march to Fort
Plain but enemy escapes.

1780, Sept. 1 (about) — Fort Plain
made headquarters of Mohawk valley
forts.

1780, Oct. 16 — Johnson and raiders
enter Schoharie valley and commence
great raid of Schoharie and Mohawk
valleys. Feeble attacks made on Mid-
dle and Lower Schoharie forts.

1780, Oct. 19— Col. John Brown and
American force of 135 defeated at
Stone Arabia by Sir John Johnson's
raiders. Brown killed. Palatine raid-
ed and buildings burned.

1780, Oct. 19— Skirmish at Klock's
Field, St. Johnsville town, fought by
Gen. Van Rensselaer's American army
and Johnson's invaders. Johnson's
force retreats and escapes.

1781— Fort Willett, in Dutchtown
section of Minden, built.

1781, June — Col. Marinus Willett ap-
pointed commander of Mohawk valley
military with headquarters at Fort
Plain.

1781, July 2— Capt. Solomon Wood-
worth's company of rangers ambus-
caded at Fairfield, Herkimer county,
by Indians and but few escape; 50
Americans, 80 Indians in Fairfield bat-
tle; Woodworth and 37 of his men
killed; bloodiest Revolutionary en-
counter in Mohawk valley.

1781, July 9 — Raid at Currytown by

500 Tories and Indians under Capt.
Dockstader, a valley Torj'.

1781, July 10 — Battle of Sharon
Springs. Col. Willett and 260 men
start from Fort Plain, pursue the
enemy and defeat them at Sharon
Springs.

1781, Oct. 24 — Raid by enemy under
Ross and Butler, through town of Root
to Mohawk river, south to Amsterdam
and northwest to Johnstown. Col.
Willett starts from Fort Plain in pur-
suit with 400 men.

1781, Oct. 25— Battle of Johnstown;
American victory.

1781, Oct. 29— Battle of West Can-
ada creek; American victory; Butler
killed.

1781 — Christian Schell, his wife and
six sons make heroic defense of his
l)lockh»use home (five miles north of
Fort Dayton), repulsing 60 Tories and
Indians; killing 11, wounding 15, in-
cluding enemy's captain, McDonald,
mortally wounded and captured.

1782 — Washington visited Schenec-
tady.

1782, July — Fort Herkimer neighbor-
hood raided V)y enemy; repulsed from
fort; last large raid" of the war; set-
tlements destroyed.

1783, Feb. 9— Col. Willett's attempt
to capture Fort Oswego fails.

1783, April 17 — News of cessation of
hostilities reaches Fort Plain from
Washington's headquarters at New-
burgh. April 18, Capt. Thompson and
four companions start on journey with
the peace news to British post of Fort
Oswego.

1783 — Population of Tryon county,
about 4,000.

1783, July 30— Gen. Washington and
staff reach Fort Plain on return from
valley trip westward to site of Fort
Schuyler. Washington stops over
night at house of Peter Wormuth in
Palatine. July 31, Washington and
staff dine at Fort Plain and journey to
Cherry Valley. Aug. 1, Washington's
party visits Otsego lake and returns to
Canajoharie, dining with Col. Clyde in
Van Alstlne house and remaining here
over night. Aug. 2, Washington's
party continues east on their return
down the Mohawk valley to the Hud-

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

313

son and thence to American army
headquarters at Newburgh.

1783 — Fort Herkimer made military
depot for far western American posts.

1784 — James Duane of New Yorl^ and
Duanesburgh, Schenectady county,
first mayor of New York city after the
British evacuation.

1784 — First permanent white settle-
ment of Oneida county; Whitestown,
Oneida county, settled; era of imini-
gration into valley, especially western
end, largely from New England.

1784 — Council at Fort Schuyler
(Rome), Oneida county, between New
York authorities and Six Nations;
treaty made; great foot race concludes
council.

1785— Oneidas and Tuscaroras, in
council at Fort Herkimer, cede all ter-
ritory between Chenango and Unadilla
rivers to New York state.

1786 — Three houses on site of Utica;
owned by Demuth, Christian and Cun-
ningham.

1786 — Population Tryon county about
15 000; of the entire Mohawk valley,
approximately, 20,000.

1787 — Stone Arabia Reformed (pres-
ent stone) church built.

1787 — Dutch Reformed church of
Middleburgh, Schoharie county, built.
Former church burned in raid of 1780.

1788 — Council between New York
state authorities and Iroquois Indians
at Fort Schuyler (Rome), Oneida
county. Indian title to New York
state lands extinguished and territory
opened for settlement.

1790 (about) — Bridge built at Little
Falls, probably first bridge built over
the Mohawk.

1790 — Mail stages begin running
from Albany to Schenectady to Johns-
town to Canajoharie.

1791 — Herkimer county formed.

1792 — Stone Arabia Lutheran (pres-
ent frame) church built at Stone Ara-
bia, Montgomery county.

1792 — Inland Lock & Navigation Co.
formed.

1793 — Bridges over East and West
Canada creeks built and north side
turnpike opened to Utica.

1795 — First newspaper in the Mo-
hawk valley established at Whites-

town. The Utica Herald-Dispatch is
a descendant of this paper.

1795 — Union college, Schenectady,
founded.

1795 — Schoharie county formed.

1796 — "The Mohawk Mercury," first
newspaper established in Schenectady.

1796 — Mohawk river navigation im-
proved by Inland Lock Navigation Co.,
with locks and canals at Little Falls,
Wolf's Rift, Rome, Wood Creek.

1797 — Mohawk and Hudson turnpike,
from Albany to Schenectady, begun.

1798 — Schenectady made a city.

1798 — Oneida county formed.

1798 — Fort Hunter, Montgomery
county, bridge buiit over Schoharie
creek; Great Western turnpike built.

1800 (about) — Manufacture of cheese
for outside markets begun in Mohawk
valley. Dairj'ing became a large val-
ley industry about 1825. Cheese mak-
ing for market purposes was intro-
duced into the Mohawk valley by New
England immigrants into Herkimer
county.

1800 — Improvement of Mohawk
(north shore) turnpike begun.

1800 — Population of present six Mo-
hawk valley counties, 72,522, including
1,352 slaves.

1803 — First Canajoharie bridge over
Mohawk river built.

1803 — Fairfield academy founded at
Fairfield, Herkimer county. Medical
school later added; academy discon-
tinued in 1903.

1806 — First Fort Plain bridge over
Mohawk river built, at "the Island."

1807 — Woolen factory established at
Frankfort.

1809 — James Burr and Tallmadge Ed-
wards start business of dressing
leather and making leather mittens in
Kingsboro (now Gloversville), Fulton
county; this was the beginning of the
leather and glo\'e industry of Fulton
county. Credit for inception of this
industry has been given to others also.

1809 — Schenectady county formed
from Albany county.

1812 — Hamilton college founded at
Clinton, Oneida county; successsor to
Indian school founded by Kirkland.

1812-14 — Mohawk valley militia take
part in second war with England.

314

APPENDIX

1812-1814 — Great numbers of Ameri-
can troops pass west (to defend New
York-Canadian frontier) and return
over Mohawk turnpike. Large amount
of American army stores and arms
pass west over Mohawk turnpike and
on Mohawk river.

1816 — Gloversville known as "Stump
City."

1817 — Herkimer county line moved
east from Little Falls to a line running
north and south from East Creek.
Town of Danube, Herkimer county, cut
off from Minden; town of Manheim
cut off from Oppenheim town, including
present St. Johnsville town.

1819 — Business part of Schenectady
burned.

1820 — Manufacture of plows begun at
Utica.

1823 — Erie canal (begun 1817) com-
pleted eastward to Sprakers.

1823-5 — Joseph C. Yates of Schenec-
tady elected governor of New York.

1825, Oct. 26 — Erie canal officially
completed and Gov. Clinton starts east
from Buffalo on the packet Seneca
Chief, on his triumphal canal tour to
New York.

1825 — Era of manufacturing and
town building begins in Mohawk val-
ley following completion of Erie canal.

1830 — Harry Burrell of Salisbury,
Herkimer covmty, makes first ship-
ment of cheese to England (10,000
pounds).

1831 — Eliphalet Remington jr. opens
forge for manufacture of gun barrels
and firearms at Ilion, Herkimer coun-
ty; he had previously made same
from 1816 on his father's farm at
Steele's Creek, Herkimer county.

1831 — Egbert Egberts invents a
frame for knit goods manufacture, op-
erated by power, at Albany, N. Y.
Timothy Bailey aids in invention. Re-
moved to Cohoes in 1832.

1831 — Mohawk and Hudson (Albany
to Schenectady) railroad opened; first
steam passenger train trip in America.

1832 — Utica made a city.

1832 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Cohoes by Egberts & Bailey;
probably the inception of the knit
goods business of the country; the

Mohawk valley now (1914) being the
center of American knit goods manu-
facture.

1833 — Incorporation of Herkimer
Manufacturing and Hydraulic Co.
(capital $100,000) to erect a dam across
West Canada creek to produce water
power.

1835 — Enlargement of Erie canal be-
gun.

1836 — Chenango canal, Utica to
Binghamton, built; later abandoned.

1836 — Manufacture of axes and other
edge tools begun in Cohoes.

1836 — Manufacture of ready-made
clothing begun at Utica.

1836 — Manufacture of cotton cloth
(white goods) introduced at Cohoes by
Peter Harmony, a Spaniard, who
founded the Harmony Mills Co. In
building the foundation of additional
Mill No. 3, of this industry, in 1866,
skeleton of a mastodon was unearthed
at the bottom of a great "pot hole," 60
feet deep. This mastodon is now
mounted and on exhibition in Geologi-
cal Hall, Albany, N. Y.

1836, August 1 — Opening of Schenec-
tady and Utica (later part of N. Y. C.
& H. R.) railroad.

1836 — Montgomery county court
house removed from Johnstown to
Fonda.

1836, Oct. 19 — Dedication of a mon-
ument to Col. John Brown at Stone
Arabia Reformed Dutch church burial
ground; largely attended, some veter-
ans of the Stone Arabia battle, in
which Brown was killed, being present.

1838 — Separation of Montgomery and
Fulton counties and town of St. Johns-
ville set off from town of Oppenheim,
now in Fulton county.

1840 — Baseball invented by (later
General) Abner C. Doubleday at Coop-
erstown, Otsego county; not in Mo-
hawk valley, but near it. Fort Plain,
Montgomery county, was Coopers-
town's trade and road outlet to the
Mohawk valley, in 1840.

1840 — Manufacture of ingrain car-
pets begun at Hagaman's Mills by
Wait, Green & Co.; later J. Sanford &
Son of Amsterdam.

1842 — Manufacture of woolen goods
begun at Little Falls.

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

315

1843 — Stages discontinued on the
Mohawk turnpike.

1843-1845— William C. Bouck (Demo-
crat) of Schoharie county, governor of
New York.

1844 — Match making business estab-
lished at Frankfort.

1845 — First through line of steam
canal boats started from Buffalo to
New York.

1845 — First college course in civil
engineering instituted at Union col-
lege, Schenectady.

1845 (about) — Manufacture of yarn
begun at Little Falls.

1845 — Manufacture of railroad steam
locomotives begun at Schenectady.

1846 — First kid glove factory of
Johnstown established.

1846-1848— War with Mexico.

1847 — Manufacture of worsteds be-
gun at Utica.

1848 — Manufacture of linseed oil be-
gun at Amsterdam.

1848 — Manufacture of cotton cloth
(white goods) begun at Utica; now
(1914) largest center of this industry
in New York state.

1848 — Power dam across North Chuc-
tanunda creek built at Amsterdam.
This water power subsequently greatly
developed in 1855, 1865 and 1875.

1849 — Black River canal built con-
necting at Rome, Oneida county, with
Erie.

1850 — Population of Mohawk valley,
193,575 (mostly agricultural).

1853 — -Fort Plain Seminary founded.

1853 — New York Central railroad
formed.

1853-1855 — Horatio Seymour (Dem-
ocrat) of Utica, Oneida county, gover-
nor of New York.

1854 — Utica and Black River railroad
opened to Boonville; extended to Car-
thage in 1870; now branch of New
York Central and Hudson River rail-
road.

1855 (about) — First telegraph line
constructed through Mohawk valley,
from Albany to Utica, by New York
Central railroad.

1857 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Amsterdam.

1858— Webster Wagner of Palatine
Bridge completes the sleeping car.

1858, Sept. 1 — Sleeping cars, invented

by Webster Wagner of Palatine
Bridge, Montgomery county, begin
running on the New York Central rail-
road.

1859 — Manufacture of paper and cot-
ton bags begun at Canajoharie.

1859 — Elevated passenger car roof,
with side ventilators, invented by
Webster Wagner of Palatine Bridge,
Montgomery county.

1861-5 — Civil war, in which many
men from the Mohawk valley took
part. (See Mohawk valley military sta-
tistics.)

1861-5 — Great numbers of Union
troops and stores moved over New
York Central railroad. Great quantity
of Union army stores moved east on
Erie canal.

1861-5 — Remington arms works at
Ilion (with branch at Utica.) produces
great quantity of arms for Union
armies; as does the Watervliet arsenal,
at the mouth of the Mohawk.

1863 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Utica.

1863 — Manufacture of knit goods ma-
chinery on a large scale begun in
Cohoes.

1863-1865 — Horatio Seymour (Demo-
crat) of Utica, Oneida county, governor
of New York; one of the strongest
Union "war governors."

1865 — Remington breech-loading rifle
perfected at Ilion prior to this date.

1865 — Albany to Binghamton rail-
road, through Schoharie valley, built.
Branches to Cherry Valley and Sharon
Springs built, 1870. This road was
leased to the Delaware and Hudson in
1871.

1866 — "Athens branch" railroad,
Schenectady to Athens, built.

1867 — Schoharie valley railroad built.
1867 — Wagner palace car invented by
Webster Wagner of Palatine Bridge,
Montgomery county; Wagner Palace
Car Co. and Pullman Palace Car Co.
consolidated about 1890.

1867 — Utica, Clinton and Bingham-
ton railroad opened from Utica to
Hamilton.

1868 — Blood's broom factory estab-
lished at Amsterdam; first large
broom factory of that city.

1868 — Middleburg and Schoharie
railroad built.

316

APPENDIX

1868 — Horatio Seymour, of Utica,
Oneida county, Democrat, defeated for
presidency by Gen. U. S. Grant, Re-
publican; Grant 214 electoral votes;
Seymour 80 electoral votes.

1869 — New York Central and Hud-
son River Railroad incorporated, em-
bracing railroad lines from New York
to Buffalo.

1869 — Cohoes made a city.

1870 — Rome made a city.

1870 — Completion of Fonda, Johns-
town and Gloversville railroad; exten-
sion of same to Northville in 1875;
branch runs to Broadalbin, Fulton
county. All of this railroad is in Ful-
ton county, except the two miles from
Fonda to Sammonsville, close to the
Fulton-Montgomery line.

1870 — Utica, Chenango and Susque-
hanna railroad, from Utica to Water-
ville and Richfield, completed.

1872 — -Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Herkimer.

1872 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Little Falls.

1875 — Alfred Dolge locates at Dolge-
ville and begins manufacture of felt
goods, etc.

1873 — Manufacture of present Rem-
ington typewriter begun at Ilion by
Remington Arms Co., in connection
with James Densmore, the inventor.

1873 — "Schenectady and Duanesburg
railroad" completed.

1877 — Centennial celebration of the
battle of Oriskany at Oriskany, Oneida
county; battle monument erected here
later.

1878 — Manufacture of brass begun at
Rome, Oneida county.

1880 (about) — First (high) bicycles
used in Mohawk valley.

1880 (about) — Electric lights, tele-
phones and phonographs first intro-
duced into Mohawk valley.

1881 — Manufacture of dairy prepar-
ations begun at Little Falls.

1883 — West Shore railroad completed
west to Syracuse.

1883 — West Shore railroad shops es-
tablished at Frankfort; later removed
to Depew, with exception of the
foundry.

1885 — Mohawk and Malone railroad
opened from Herkimer north to Ma-

lone; now branch of the N. Y. C. and
H. R. R.

1885 — Amsterdam made a city.

1885 (about) — Safety bicycles first
used in Mohawk valley.

1*85 (about) — Period of electric trolley
car line construction began in Mohawk
valley. Until 1914 lines were built
running up the river from Schenectady
to Amsterdam, Johnstown, Gloversville
and Fonda and from Little Falls to
Rome. Trolley lines connect (1914)
Utica with Clinton and with Syracuse
and Buffalo. A trolley line runs south
from Herkimer to Richfield Springs
and Oneonta with branch to Coopers-
town. Also east and north from Sche-
nectady to Albany and Troy and Sara-
toga Springs.

1886 — Manufacture of desks and
typewriter cabinets begun at Herki-
mer.

1887 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Fort Plain.

1887 — Manufacture of copper begun
at Rome, Oneida, county.

1888 — General Electric Co. moves to
Schenectady.

1888 (about) —Building of Little
Falls and Dolgeville railroad.

1890 — Gloversville made a city.

1890 (about) — Manufacture of food
stuffs begun at Canajoharie.

1892 — Report of Martin Schenck,
state engineer and surveyor, advocat-
ing a Barge canal. Hon. Martin
Schenck was a native of Palatine,
Montgomery county.

1892 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at St. Johnsville.

1895 — Johnstown made a city.

1895 — Little Falls made a city.

1895 (about) — Automobiles first used
in Mohawk valley.

1895 — First college course in electri-
cal engineering instituted at Union
college, Schenectady.

1896 — Monument erected over grave
of General Nicholas Herkimer at Dan-
ube, Herkimer county.

1898 — Electrical development of East
Creek water power at East Creek
(2,000 H. P. generated). Later devel-
opment at Dolgeville (1897) and Ing-
hams Mills (1912).

1898 — Spanish- American war; some

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

317

valley men enlisted in American army.

1905 — Work begun on Erie division
of tlje Barge canal.

1907 — Unveiling of statue of General
Herkimer at Herkimer; Burr Miller,
sculptor; Warner Miller, donor; occa-
sion, Herkimer village's centennial.

1908 — William H. Taft of Cincinnati,
Ohio, elected president and James S.
Sherman of Utica (Oneida county),
New York, elected vice president of
the United States on the Republican
national ticket.

1909—18,457 farms in six Mohawk
valley counties, producing $30,000,000
annually, exclusive of lumber.

1910 — Population of six Mohawk val-
ley counties 424,704. That of New
York state, 9,113,614. That of the
United States, 91,972,266.

1911 — Centennial celebration of Lit-
tle Falls as a village.

1911 — Mohawk Hydro-Electric com-
pany completes dams and plants at
Pecks Pond, Caroga and Ephratah; line
run to Johnstown-Gloversville; line
run to Fort Plain in 1912.

1911 — Harry N. Atwood alights at
Nelliston, after flight of 95 miles from
near Syracuse, en route by aeroplane
from St. Louis to New York.

1912— Wm. H. Taft of Cincinnati,
Ohio, and James S. Sherman of Utica
(Oneida county). New York, renomi-
nated for president and vice president
on the Republican national ticket.
James S. Sherman died in October,
1912, before the election. Wilson,
Dem., elected; Taft, Rep., and Roose-
velt, Prog., defeated.

1912—1,321 factories with 88,271 op-
eratives in six Mohawk valley coun-
ties, producing goods valued at about
$200,000,000 annually. Chief manufac-
tures: Knit goods, electrical appar-
atus, leather gloves, white goods, rugs
and carpets.

1912 — Route of Gen. Herkimer, from
Danube to Oriskany, marked by bronze
tablets, under the auspices of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
tion.

1912 — Dam and plant for hydro-
electric power development, built at
Inghams Mills on East creek, in town
of Manheim, Herkimer county.

1914 — General Herkimer house in
Danube, Herkimer county, purchased
by state and placed under the care of
the Daughters of the American Revo-
lution and the German-American Al-
liance.

1914 — Second war with Mexico. Vera
Cruz occupied but no official declara-
tion of war as yet (April 28, 1914) and
none of the valley militia as yet called
out for service.

WESTERN MONTGOMERY
COUNTY DATES.

The following dates have an especial
reference to Western Montgomery
county:

1750 — Reformed Dutch church
(frame) of Canajoharie built at Sand
Hill, later Fort Plain.

1756 — Reformed Dutch church built
in town of St. Johnsville.

1790 — Dutch Reformed church or-
ganized at Currytown, being the first
church body in the town of Root.

1794 — Free Will Baptist church or-
ganized, west of Ames, being the first
known church organization in Canajo-
harie town.

1795, March 31 — Union academy of
Palatine (at Stone Arabia) incorpor-
ated by the State Regents. Building
built in 1799, burned in 1807 and never
rebuilt.

1798 — Town of Minden formed from
Canajoharie.

1799 — Funeral services in honor of
General Washington held at the Re-
formed Dutch church at Sand Hill
(Fort Plain).

1804 — St. John's Reformed Dutch
church moves from its original loca-
tion, east of St. Johnsville, to that vil-
lage.

1808 — Town of Oppenheim (includ-
ing present St. Johnsville town) set off
from Palatine.

1810 — Cornplanter, with Indian suite,
visits relatives at Fort Plain, where
Cornplanter raided with Brant's party
in 1780.

1818 — Union church built at Canajo-
harie village, the first there erected.

1823 — Town of Root formed.

1825, Oct. 26 — Celebration of comple-

318

APPENDIX

tion of Erie canal. Dinner and ball in
celebration at Fort Plain. Oct. 31,
Governor Clinton and party on packet,
Seneca Chief, pass east on their trium-
phal tour of Erie.

1825 — First newspaper in western
Montgomery county, the "Telegraph,"
established at Canajoharie.

1827 — First existing newspaper in
western Montgomery county, the Fort
Plain Watch Tower, established — now
known as the Mohawk Valley Register
(oldest paper in Montgomery county in
1914).

1829 — Canajoharie village incorpor-
ated.

1829 — First Fort Plain bridge at
present site built over Mohawk river.

1832 — Fort Plain village incorpor-
ated.

1834 — Reformed Dutch church at
Sand Hill removed to Fort Plain, end-
ing Sand Hill as a hamlet.

1849 — Freysbush district taken from
town of Canajoharie and added to
Minden, making last change in terri-
tory of five western Montgomery
towns.

1852 — First St. Johnsville bridge
across Mohawk river built.

1857 — St. Johnsville village incor-
porated.

1865 — Furniture manufacturing be-
gun at Fort Plain.

1867 — Palatine Bridge village incor-
porated.

1870 — Manufacture of springs and
axles begun at Fort Plain. Factory
removed to Chicago Heights, 111., in
1894. Factory came from Springfield
to Fort Plain.

1878 — Nelliston village incorporated.

1879 — Clinton Liberal Institute re-
moved to Fort Plain, supplanting the
Fort Plain Seminary on Seminary Hill;
C. L. I. burned 1900.

1880 (about) — Manufacture of silk
begun at Fort Plain.

1889 — Manufacture of player pianos
and piano actions begun at St. Johns-
ville.

1898 — First Fort Plain street fair
held.

1900 — Clinton Liberal Institute de-
stroyed by fire; armory and gymnas-
ium uninjured. Institute not rebuilt.

MOHAWK VALLEY MILITARY
STATISTICS,

The following Mohawk valley mili-
tary statistics include not only mili-
tary operations along the Mohawk, but
those in which valley men were en-
gaged elsewhere:

Early French- Indian Hostilities —
1609-1689.

1609 — Champlain and Canadian In-
dians defeat Mohawks on west shore of
Lake Champlain, near Ticonderoga;
two Mohawk chiefs killed; action
makes Iroquois enemies of French and
friends of Dutch and English.

1666 — The Mohawk villages burned
by French-Indian Canadian expedi-
tion; Mohawks escape into the woods.

Indian Wars.

1669, August 9— Battle of Tower-
eune, near Hoffmans, Schenectady
county, in which Mohawks defeat Mo-
hicans and gain mastery of valley.

King William's War— 1689-1697.

1689 — Mohawks raid Montreal.

1690 — Schenectady burned by French
and Indians; population massacred or
captured.

1692 — French-Indian war party burns
Oneida castle; Onondagos burn their
villages and escape to woods.

1693 — French-Indian-Canadian expe-
dition, under Count Frontenac, attacks,
captures and burns the three Mohawk
castles; hard fight at upper castle; 300
Mohawks made prisoners; Albany mi-
litia, under Col. Peter Schuyler, pur-
sued and retook 50 captives.

King George's War— 1743-1748.

1746, August 4 — Party sent by Col.
William Johnson against French and
Indians ambushed at Chambly.

1748 — Battle of Beukendaal, Glenville
town, Schenectady county, in which
valley American militia were ambus-
caded by Canadian Indians and Amer-
ican force almost destroyed. Beuken-
daal means, in Dutch, Beechdale.

Seven Yejars War— 1754-1760.
During the Seven Years War (which
is also called the French and Indian
War), large bodies of British-Ameri-
can troops passed up and down the

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

319

valley, the Mohawk river being largely
used for the transportation of their
supplies and munitions.

1755 — British-American army under
Major-Gen. William Johnson defeats
French at Lake George — Mohawks and
militia with Johnson.

1756 — Attack by French and Indians
at German Flats (Herkimer), settle-
ment destroyed and inhabitants cap-
tured or massacred.

1756 — Gen. Webb with British regi-
ment and supplies passes up Mohawk
valley to reinforce Fort Oswego;
French capture fort; Webb returns;
Johnson with •militia and Indians re-
turns.

1756, August — Gen. Johnson leads
party of Indians and militia to join
Gen. Webb's expedition for relief of
Fort William Henry, at the head of
Lake George; expedition fails through
Webb's incapacity and Fort William
Henry is captured by French.

1758, April — Gen. William Johnson
calls together the Mohawk valley mi-
litia at Fort Canajoharie (present In-
dian Castle) to repel invasion of
French and Indians at Fort Herkimer.
Enemy repulsed from Fort Herkimer
by garrison and flees back to Canada.

1758, July 9 — Johnson and 400 Iro-
quois warriors at disastrous defeat by
French of Gen. Abercombie's British-
American army before Fort Ticon-
deroga.

1758 — Repulse of French and Indians
from Fort Herkimer.

1758 — British-American army under
Sir William Johnson captures French
Fort Niagara; 1,000 Iroquois warriors
and body of militia with Johnson.

1760 — Gen. Amherst's British-Amer-
ican army of 10,000 passes up Mohawk
to conquest of Montreal. Johnson
with 1,300 Iroquois join army later.

Revolution— 1775-1783.

Only the main military events and
movements of the Revolution are here
given:

1777, August 6 — Battle of Oriskany
at Oriskany, Oneida county, between
Tryon County Militia, commanded by
General Herkimer, and British-Tory-
Indian army commanded by General

St. Leger; drawn battle, both armies
retire from field; aim of Americans to
relieve Fort Schuyler unsuccessful.

1777, August 6 — Sortie by Willett's
command from Fort Schuyler (now
Rome, Oneida county) against St.
Leger's camp; American success;
stars and stripes first flown here in
battle.

1777, August 13— Battle of Flockey,
Vroomans, Schoharie county, where
American regulars and Schoharie mi-
litia under Col. Harper drive off invad-
ing force of enemy under Capt. Mc-
Donald; American success.

1778, May 30— Battle of Cobleskill,
Schoharie county; ambuscade of 50
Americans by Brant and 300 Indians;
American defeat.

1778, Nov. 10 — Cherry Valley mas-
sacre. Place attacked by enemy un-
der Butler and Brant.

1778, Sept. 1 — German Flatts raided
by enemy under Brant.

1779, June 19 — Gen. Clinton and Am-
erican army of 1,500 start overland
march from Canajoharie to Otsego
lake to join Gen. Sullivan's army at
Tioga, August 22; defeat enemy at
present Elmira, August 29; Indian
country later devastated.

1780, May 21 — Johnson and enemy
raid Johnstown and Caughnawaga
neighborhoods. American force pur-
sues; Johnson escapes.

1780, August 2 — Brant and enemy
raid in Minden about Fort Plain; mi-
litia gathers; enemy escapes.

1780, Oct. 16 — ^Johnson and enemy
pass Upper Fort on the Schoharie and
begin raid of Schoharie and Mohawk
valleys, ending with action at Klock's
Field, Oct. 19.

1780, Oct. 19 — Battle of Stone Arabia,
Palatine town, Montgomery county;
defeat of American force of 140 men
under Col. Brown by Johnson's raid-
ers, numbering about 800.

1780, Oct. 19— Battle of Klock's Field
or Battle of St. Johnsville (Montgom-
ery county). Virtually a skirmish be-
tween Van Rensselaer's American mi-
litia (numbering 1,500) and Johnson's
raiders (numbering 800) ; American
success; enemy flees and escapes.

1781, July 2 — Battle of Fairfield,

320

APPENDIX

Herkimer county. Capt. Woodworth's
company of 50 American rangers, am-
buscaded by 80 Indians and patriot
force nearly destroyed — killed or cap-
tured; American defeat — 38 killed out
of 50; bloodiest valley Revolutionary
action.

1781, July 9 — Curry town, Montgom-
ery county, raided by enemy under
Dockstader.

1781, July 10 — Battle of Sharon
Springs, Schoharie county, between 250
American militia under Col. Willett
and 500 of enemy under Capt. Dock-
stader; American success; enemy
driven off.

1781, Oct. 24 — Enemy under Ross
and Butler begin raid of Montgomery
and Fulton counties, ending with battle
of Butler's Ford, West Canada creek,
Qct. 29.

1781, Oct. 25— Battle of Johnstown,
Fulton county, between 400 Americans
under Col. Willett and Maj. Rowley
and 700 British-Tory-Indian i-aiders
under Ross and Butler; American suc-
cess; enemy driven off.

1781, Oct. 29— Battle of Butler's
Ford, West Canada creek, Herkimer
county, between 400 American pursu-
ing force under Col. Willett and 700 of
enemy under Ross and Butler, retreat-
ing from Johnstown; American vic-
tory; enemy driven off and Butler
killed.

1782, July — Enemy raids Fort Her-
kimer district; repulsed from fort.

1783, Feb. 9 — American force under
Col. Willett, fails on expedition to sur-
prise British Fort Oswego; guides lost;
expedition discovered; Americans re-
turn to Mohawk river.

War of 1812-1814.

Following is a record of the passing
and arrival of American troops at
Utica during the second war with
England, known as the War of 1812.
It will serve to show how the Mohawk
valley was used as a military road just
as the Mohawk river was used as a
military waterway for the transporta-
tion of arms, munitions and supplies
for the American armies on the New
York frontier:

1812, August, Flying Artillery (130

men) from Lancaster. Pa.; September,
800 drafted men under Gen. Dodge of
Johnstown; Sept. 20, Fifth U. S. regi-
ment; Sept. 22, 2 companies light ar-
tillery; Sept. 30, 90 sailors bound for
Sackett's Harbor; Oct. 5, 150 sailors,
150 wagons, on their way to Buffalo;
Oct. 6, 130 U. S. soldiers, 20 wagons;
Oct. 10, 130 U. S. marines; Oct. 13,
parties of marines; Oct. 14, "Republi-
can Greens" (190 men); Oct. 23, 23d
U. S. regiment (300 men) from Albany;
130 field artillery.

1813, April 6, 150 light horse reach
Utica from Sackett's Harbor, which
they have been compelled to leave on
account of lack of provisions, and on
April 13, 150 more light horse reach
Utica, probably for the saine reason;
April 15, 200 light artillery moving
west; April 24-25, 500 soldiers, 100
sailors for Sackett's Harbor; 500 horse
and foot for Buffalo; May 12, 2d U. S.
regiment on way to front; May 15 and
16, 900 Massachusetts soldiers on way
to front; May 23, 600, 21st U. S. for
west; May 26, 750 U. S. soldiers for
west; June 15, 14th U. S. (300 men)
and a rifle company for the front;
June 16, 49th English regiment, pris-
oners of war, pass down the valley;
June (latter part), numbers of sol-
diers and sailors en route to defense of
Sackett's Harbor; July 10, 3d and 25th
U. S. (270 men); Aug. 9, 100 Canadian
and British prisoners on their way
down the valley under guard; sum-
mer and autumn, constant passing east
and west of American soldiers, sailors
and militia; Oct. 15, 2 companies W^al-
leville's English regiment (captured on
lake transports) went east as prison-
ers under guard; Oct. 31, 800 U. S.
reg'ulars from Fort George, going west;
Nov. 23, Com. Oliver Hazard Perry
(hero of Lake Erie naval battle) given
great public dinner at Utica, and
passes down Mohawk in a batteaux,
everywhere given a great reception.

The 10th, 11th and 13th (Mohawk
valley militia) regiinents of the Fourth
Brigade of New York were engaged in
this war on the St. Lawrence and Ni-
agara frontiers. See Chapter IX.,
Series II., on the War of 1812.

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

321

Mexican War— 1846-1848.

No valley military organizations
took part in this conflict. Two regi-
ments from New York are reported to
have been engaged; they were regular
army regiments.

Civil War— 1861-1865.

1861-1S65— The following is a record
of the Civil war military organizations
in which the Union soldiers of the six
valley counties were enrolled. It is
compiled from county histories. Dur-
ing the Civil war, thousands of troops
went to the front over the New York
Central railroad and great quantities
of supplies went forward to the Union
armies over the Erie canal and on the
railroad.

Oneida county: The principal Civil
war organizations recruited from this
county were: 14th infantry; 26th in-
fantry; 81st infantry (350 men); 97th
(from Oneida, Lewis, Herkimer and
Fulton); 117th infantry; 146th infan-
try. Oneida county had representa-
tion also in 50th (engineers), 53d, 57th,
61st, 68th, 71st, 75th, 76th, 78th, 81st,
93d, 101st infantry regiments, 3d, 8th,
11th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 22d, 24th cav-
alry; the Oneida cavalry, 1st mounted
rifles, 1st, 2d, 3d, 13th, 14th, 16th ar-
tillery.

Herkimer county: The principal
Civil war organizations largely re-
cruited from this covmty were 34th in-
fantry, known as "the Herkimer coun-
ty regiment," five companies coming
from this county. 97th infantry. Cos.
C, D, E, F and I were largely of Her-
kimer county men. 121st infantry,
from Herkimer and Otsego counties.
152d regiment from Otsego and Her-
kimer counties (360 men from Herki-
mer). 16th artillery (over 100 men).
Other organizations in which Herki-
mer men were represented were 14th
infantry, 26th infantry, 1st light ar-
tillery (Battery A), 2d light artillery
(Battery K), 2d rifles. 18th N. Y. cav-
alry.

Montgomery county: The principal
Civil war organizations in which Mont-
gomery county was represented are the
following: 115th infantry, 421 men;
153d infantry, 329 men; 32d infantry
(Cos. B and D), 130 men; 43d infantry
(Co. E), 69 men; 1st artillery (Co. K),
65 men; 16th artillery, 36 men; 13th
artillery, 33 men.

Fulton county: The principal Civil
war organizations in which Fulton
county was represented are the fol-
lowing: 153d infantry, 269 men; 115th
infantry, 162 men; 77th infantry, 101
men; 10th cavalry (Co. I), 92 men;
13th artillery, 71 men; 97th infantry,
53 men; 93d infantry (Co. D), 51 men;
2d cavalry, 31 men.

Schoharie county: The principal
Civil war organizations from Scho-
harie county were 134th regiment, N.
Y. S. v., recruited from Schoharie and
Schenectady counties. This might fit-
tingly be called "the Schoharie county
regiment," as it contained about 800
men from Schoharie. Co. I, 76th N. Y.
S. v., had about 80 Schoharie county
men and several hundred other Scho-
harie men were enlisted in many other
organizations.

Schenectady county: The principal
Civil war organizations in which
Schenectady county was represented
are: 30th infantry, 44 men; 77th in-
fantry, 50 men; 43d infantry, 31 men;
2d cavalry, 110 men; 69th infantry, 55
men; 18th infantry, 141 men; 134th in-
fantry, about 380 men; 91st infantry,
156 men; 13th cavalry, 58 men; 25th
cavalry, 1st rifles, 13th artillery, 177th
infantry, 192d infantry.

Spanish-American War — 1898.

Several military organizations and a
number of Mohawk valley men were
enlisted in the American army.

Second War With Mexico.

1914 — Second war with Mexico. Vera
Cruz occupied but no official declara-
tion of war as yet (April 28, 1914) and
none of the valley militia as yet called
out for service.

322

APPENDIX

FIFTEEN DATES FOR SCHOOL USE

Following are fifteen Moliawli val-
ley principal dates, suggested for
school use. They form a brief and
easily understood history of the Mo-
hawk valley. They cover the six Mo-
hawk valley counties of Oneida, Her-
kimer, Montgomery, Fulton, Schoharie
and Schenectady and are suitable for
use in any of the schools of these
counties. It is here suggested that stvi-
dents learn first the main date, and
later the subsidiary matter.

1661 — Schenectady settled by Dutch;
burned by French and Indian war
party in 1690 and its people killed or
captured; rebuilt shortly after.

1713 — Mohawk and Schoharie valleys
settled by Palatine Germans.

1753-1760 — Seven Years War. Mo-
hawk Indians and valley militia take
part in victories of British-American
armies (under Sir William Johnson)
at Lake George and Niagara; also in
other military movements. Burnets-
field (present Herkimer) burned and
its people generally massacred or
captured in 1756. French and Indian
attack on Fort Herkimer repulsed in
1758. Large bodies of British and
American troops passed up and
down the valley; munitions and sup-
plies going on the river. In 1760,
Gen. Amherst's British-American
army of 10,000 men went north, by
way of the Mohawk valley, and cap-
tured Montreal from the French,
which ended the war. Quebec was
taken from the French by the En-
glish under Wolfe in 1759. The peo-
ple of the Mohawk valley were in al-
most constant danger of massacre,
from 1661 to 1760, by French and
Indian scalping parties.

1775-1783— Revolutionary War. Chief
battles in the Mohawk valley were
Oriskany, 1777 (drawn battle);
Stone Arabia, 1780 (American de-
feat) ; Klock's Field or St. Johnsville,
1781 (American victory) ; Sharon
Springs, 1781 (American victory) ;
Johnstown, 1781 (American vic-
tory) ; West Canada Creek or
Butlers Ford, 1781 (American
victory). There were many skir-

mishes, raids and massacres in the
Mohawk valley during these years.
The valley American troops made a
generallly successful defense of the
valley but the country and its people
suffered from invasion more than in
any other part of the thirteen colo-
nies; Moha.wks left valley, with
the Johnsons, and went to Canada
in 1775, where they enlisted and
fought barbarously, under the Brit-
ish flag, against their old American
valley neighbors, as did also most of
the valley Tories.

1777, August 6 — Battle of Oriskany be-
tween the Tryon County American
militia (800 men) and St. Leger's
British - Tory - Indian army (1,600
men) ; drawn battle and the hardest
fought action of the Revolution;
successful American sortie from
Fort Schuyler, over which stars and
stripes were first flown in battle on
this day.

1783 — Washington makes a tour of the
Mohawk valley; he visited Schenec-
tady in 1782.

1784 — Oneida county permanently set-
tled at Whitestown; a large immi-
gration began in this year into and
through the Mohawk valley from
New England and other American
colonies. Utica and Rome were
permanently settled about 1785.

1796 — Mohawk river navigation im-
proved by locks and canals at Little
Falls, Wolf's Rift, Rome and Wood
Creek; this work was done by the
Inland Lock and Navigation Co.;
formed in 1792.

1800 — Mohawk (north shore) turnpike
begun from Schenectady to Utica;
period of the stage coach and great
freight wagons. A turnpike then ran
from Albany to Buffalo, now used
largely as an automobile road.

1812-1814— Second War with England;
10th, 11th and 13th (Mohawk valley)
militia regiments engage in defense
of New York frontier. Large bodies
of troops pass up and down Mohawk
turnpikes; army supplies and muni-
tions go west on river boats and on
turnpike wagons.

1817-1825 — Construction of Erie canal
from Buffalo to Albany; length of

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

323

canal, 387 miles; 72 locks; 7 feet
deep; 70 feet surface width; length
of Erie canal through Mohawk val-
ley (Cohoes to Rome) about 110
miles. An era of town building,
manufacturing and dairy production
for outside markets began in the
valley, following the construction of
the Erie canal. From 1862 until
abandonment of Erie for Barge
canal boats 98x17 V^x6 and of 240 tons
were in use.

1831 — -Mohawk and Hudson railroad
(17 miles long), from Albany to
Schenectady completed. This was
the first steam passenger railroad in
America. The Utica to Schenectady
railroad was completed August 1,
1836, and both roads became parts of
the New York Central and Hudson
River railroad in 1869. West Shore
railroad was completed 1883, and is
now part of N. Y. C. & H. R. R.R.

1861-5— Civil War or War of the
Rebellion, during which thousands of
Mohawk valley men enlisted in the
Union armies; many thousands of
Union troops passed over the New
York Central railroad and enormous
quantities of army supplies and mu-
nitions passed east over the railroad
and the Erie canal. Remington
Arms factories at Ilion and Utica
produced great amount of arms for
the Union army, as also did the
Watervliet arsenal.

1905 — ^Construction of Erie branch of
the New York State Barge canal be-
gun. Erie branch is 323 miles long
with 35 locks, and utilizes the chan-
nel of the Mohawk river from Rome
to Waterford, about 110 miles. Great
reservoirs for Barge canal water
storage purposes have been con-
structed at Delta, Oneida county,
and at Hinckley, the latter being in
Oneida and Herkimer counties, and
also being the largest body of water
(nine miles long) in the Mohawk
valley. Barge canal types of boats
are not (1914) definitely decided
upon. They may be of from 3,000
tons downward, the idea being for
one motor engine or power boat to
draw about 3,000 tons through the
locks without breaking up the boats.

Boats of 1,500 tons to run tandem or
of about 800 tons to run in quadrup-
lets (one to be a power boat) are
probable types.
1911 — -Aeroplane flight of Atwood
through the Mohawk valley, en route
from St. Louis to New York, 1,266
miles. Atwood flew from near Syra-
cuse to Nelliston, Montgomery coun-
ty, 95 miles, August 22, 1911, spend-
ing the night at Fort Plain, across
the Mohawk; he flew from Nelliston
to Castleton, on the Hudson, 65 miles,
August 23, with a short stop for re-
pairs, in the morning, near Glen,
Montgomery county.

Statistical Summary (for school use;
also see map; the figures are from the
1910 U. S. census).

The six Mohawk valley counties:

Oneida; county seat, Utica.

Herkimer; county seat, Herkimer.

Montgomery; county seat, Fonda.

Fulton; county seat, Johnstown.

Schoharie; county seat, Schoharie.-'—'

Schenectady; county seat, Schenec-
tady.

Area six Mohawk valley counties (in
round numbers), 2,860,000 acres, di-
vided as follows: Oneida, 800,000;
Herkimer, 934,000; Montgomery, 355,-
000; Fulton, 330,000; Schoharie, 410,-
000; Schenectady, 132,000.

Population, six Mohawk valley coun-
ties, census of 1910 (in round num-
bers), 425,000, divided as follows: One-
ida, 154,000; Herkimer, 56,000; Mont-
gomery, 58,000; Fulton, 45,000; Scho-
harie, 24,000; Schenectady, 88,000.

Largest cities, census of 1910 (in
round numbers), Utica, 74,000; Sche-
nectady, 73,000. Other cities in order,
Amsterdam, Gloversville, Rome, Little
Falls, Johnstown. Cohoes, near the
mouth of the Mohawk, is a city of the
valley, but is not in one of the six Mo-
hawk valley counties, being located in
Albany county.

Number of farms in six Mohawk
valley counties (in round numbers),
18,000, raising $30,000,000 worth of pro-
ducts yearly.

Number of factories in six Mohawk
valley counties (in round numbers),
1,300, with 88,000 employes, producing

324

APPENDIX

about $200,000,000 worth of goods
yearly. Principal manufactures: Knit
goods, electrical apparatus, leather
gloves, white goods, rugs and carpets.

CHRONOLOGY OF MOHAWK VAL-
LEY PRE - REVOLUTIONARY
HOUSES AND CHURCHES.

Following is a list of the principal
pre-Revolutionary houses and churches
of the Mohawk valley, with approxi-
mate date of erection. Many of the
liest houses along the Mohawk were
destroyed by the Indian and Tory raids
from 1777-1782. Where a house is
called a fort it means it was strongly
built to resist attack or was palisaded.
None of these "forts," or fortified
houses, were actual army posts.

This does not include all the pre-
Revolutionary houses standing in the
Mohawk valley; there are a number of
others; but the following are generally
recognized as the most important and
typical of their time.

Schenectady county, with Albany and
Saratoga counties, embraces about 30
miles of the lower Mohawk valley.
During the Revolution this section did
not suffer from Tory and Indian raids,
as did the other five Mohawk valley
counties, and consequently more an-
cient structures there remain. For some
of these pre-Revolutionary houses no
dates are known or available to the
editor of this work and consequently
none are given. All however, were
constructed prior to the close of the
Revolutionary war. The editor of this
work desires to express his indebted-
ness to Miss Marion Abbott of Fonda,
author of a most interesting and en-
tertaining essay on "The Remaining
Revolutionary Residences of the Mo-
hawk Valley." This essay was award-
ed the prize offered to students of the
Fonda High school by Caughnawaga
chapter, D. A. R., of that village, and
was published in the Fonda Democrat.

The following gives a list of 33 pre-
Revolutionary Mohawk valley houses.
As before stated there are others, some
of which, however, are difficult to au-
thenticate. There are two or three
small structures at Sand Hill, Fort

Plain, which possibly antedate the
Revolution. One is a small frame
building now used as a barn, standing
near the beginning of the Dutchtown
road, and which is said to have been
the parsonage of the old "Canajoharie
(now Fort Plain) Reformed Dutch
church." Probably research could in-
crease the number of pre-Revolution-
ary Mohawk valley residences to 50 or
more. The following 33 are the best
known of these interesting seventeenth
and eighteenth century valley resi-
dences:

1670' — Jan Mabie stone house, Rotter-
dam, Schenectady county. This is the
oldest existing building in the Mohawk
valley. 1686 is also given as the date
of its erection.

1680 (about) — Vrooman brick house,
Schenectady city.

1700 (or before) — Van Guysling
house, Rotterdam, Schenectady county;
also said to have been built in 1664.

1711 — Johannes Peek house, Schen-
ectady county.

1712 — Fort Hunter, Montgomery
county. Queen Anne (Episcopal) par-
sonage of stone; chapel was destroyed
in building Erie canal 1817-1825.

1713 — Glen Sanders house, Scotia,
Schenectady county. This is the old-
est large house standing in the valley;
still (1914) in Sanders family.

1720 (about)— Toll (brick) house,
Glenville town, Schenectady county.

1730 — Abraham Glen house, Scotia,
Schenectady county.

1735 — Governor Yates brick house,
Schenectady city.

1736 — Arent Bradt house, Rotterdam,
Schenectady county.

1739 — Fort Frey (stone house). Pala-
tine Bridge, Montgomery county (still
in Frey family).

1742 — Fort Johnson (stone), Mont-
gomery county; built by Sir William
Johnson and originally called Mount
Johnson; Johnson's second house;
home of Montgomery County Histori-
cal society. Johnson lived here from
1742 until 1763 when he removed to
Johnson Hall.

1743 — Butler (frame) house, Mohawk
town, Montgomery county.

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

325

1750 — Wagner stone house, Palatine
town, Montgomery county; forms part
of house now standing.

1750 (about) — Van Alstine stone house,
Canajoharie, Montgomery county.
Washington was probably here in
1783. This house is sometimes erron-
eously called Fort Rensselaer.

1752 — Ehle (stone) house, Nelliston,
Montgomery county; house now (1914)
in ruins.

1756— Fort Klock (stone house), St.
Johnsville town, Montgomery county;
also called Fort House, from its
builder.

1762 — Van Schaick (brick) house,
Van Schaick Island, Cohoes city, Al-
bany county. This house vas Ameri-
can Revolutionary headquarters for a
time during the Saratoga campaign of
1777, when the American Army of the
North had fallen back to the mouth of
the Mohawk.

1763 — Drumm house, Johnstown city.

1763 — Johnson Hall (frame), Johns-
town, Fulton county; built by Sir Wm.
Johnson; his third house. Owned by
New York state. Johnson lived here
from 1763 until his death, in 1774.

1764 — Herkimer (brick) house, Dan-
ube, Herkimer county; built by (later
General) Nicholas Herkimer; owned by
New York state.

1765 — Campbell house, Schenectady
city.

1766 — Guy Park (stone), Amsterdam,
Montgomery fcounty; built by Sir Wm.
Johnson for his nephew, Guy Johnson;
owned by city of Amsterdam.

1767 (before) — Lansing house, Co-
hoes city; altered from original form.

1767 (before) — Derek Hemstreet
house, Cohoes city; altered from origi-
nal form.

Schermerhorn house, Schenectady
county; still in Schermerhorn family
(1914).

Voorhees house, Amsterdam, Mont-
gomery county; built by Garret Rose-
boom and used as a tavern during old
Mohawk turnpike days.

Bergen house, Sand Flats, Mohawk
township, Montgomery county; altered
from original form.

DeGraff (frame) house, Glenville

town, Schenectady county; now (1914)
in ruins.

Cochran house, Palatine town, Mont-
gomery county; home of Dr. John
Cochran, surgeon general of the Am-
erican Revolutionary army.

General William North house,
Duanesburgh town, Schenectady coun-
ty; Gen. North was an aide of Baron
Steuben in the Continental American
army and a son-in-law of Judge
Duane.

Judge James Duane house, Duanes-
burgh town, Schenectady county; also
called Featherstonhough house. Judge
Duane was a great Revolutionary Am-
erican jurist and, in 1784, first mayor
of New York city after the British
evacuation.

There are but five existing pre-Rev-
olutionary churches in the Mohawk
valley and four of these are of stone
construction, which speaks well for the
early valley men. Many houses of
worship were destroyed by the enemy
during the war for independence, 1777-
1782. The churches built before the
Revolution and now standing are:

1756 — Fort Herkimer Reformed
(Dutch) stone church. Fort Herkimer,
Herkimer county.

1759 — St. George's (Episcopal) stone
church, Schenectady city.

1769 — Indian Castle (frame) Union
church; at Indian Castle, Danube
town, Herkimer county.

1770 — Palatine Lutheran stone
church, Palatine town, Montgomery
county.

1773 — Schoharie Reformed (Dutch)
stone church, Schoharie, Schoharie
county.

The Fort Herkimer church is not
only the oldest in the valley but is
probably the second oldest in the state,
being antedated only by the Sleepy
Hollow stone church, near Tarrytown,
on the Hudson, inade famous by Ir-
ving's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Fort
Herkimer church was included, in the
stockade of Fort Herkimer.

The Indian Castle church was erect-
ed by order of Sir William Johnson,
colonial superintendent of Indian af-
fairs, to furnish religious instruction
to the Mohawks there resident at the

326

APPENDIX

upper or Canajoharie Castle. John-
son's faith was the Episcopalian but
he gave support and financial aid to
every church erected in the Mohawk
valley during his time. The Indian
Castle church was built Ijy Col. Samuel
Clyde of Cherry Valley, under John-
son's orders.

The Schoharie church formed part of
the Lower Fort, on the Schoharie
creek, during the Revolution.

It is greatly to be regretted that the
most interesting church structure ever
raised in the Mohawk valley — Queen
Anne's chapel at Fort Hunter, Mont-
gomery county, should have been de-
stroyed during the building of the Erie
canal. Architects and builders would
do well to study these old pre-Revolu-
tionary buildings, as well as those
erected in the half century following
the close of the Revolution, with a view
to the modern adoption of their best
features for valley structures of today.
All the good Mohawk valley traditions,
whether of building or of other phases
of human life, are worthy of preserva-
tion.

1715-1774— CHRONOLOGY OF WIL-
LIAM JOHNSON,

The following is a chronology of the
principal events in the life of Sir Wil-
liam Johnson relative to the Mohawk
valley and its inhabitants.

1715 — William Johnson born in
County Down, Ireland.

1738 — William Johnson settled in
P^lorida town. Montgomery county, and
built his first house (of three) which
he named Fort Johnson. Johnson came
to the Mohawk valley to manage the
landed estate of his uncle, Admiral
Warren.

1742 — William Johnson builds stone
house, mill and store at present Fort
Johnson, Amsterdam town, Montgom-
ery county. This house was named
first Mount Johnson. After it was for-
tified some ten years later it became
known at Fort Johnson, which name it
now bears. The similarity of name in
Johnson's first two houses has been the
cause of considerable confusion. Ref-

erences in this work to Fort Johnson
mean the present Fort Johnson, town
of Amsterdam.

1745 — Johnson appointed justice of
the peace of All>any county and colonel
of Albany county militia; organized
Mohawk valley militia.

1746 — Johnson appointed commis-
sioner of Indian affairs for New York
province.

1746 — Johnson made a chief of the
Mohawk tribe und(>r the name of War-
raghegagey.

1750 — Johnson resigns position of su-
perintendent of New York province In-
dian affairs.

1750 — Col. Wm. Johnson made a
member of the governor's council of
the province of New York.

1754 — Col. Johnson and party of Iro-
quois, including King Hendrick, attend
colonial conference at Albany, held to
discuss means of common defense, by
the American-British colonies, against
France.

1755 — Fort Canajoharie, at Indian
Castle, Herkimer county, built for pro-
tection of Mohawks, under supervision
of Col. Johnson.

1755 — Johnson tendered an ovation
and public reception in New York city,
for his victory at Lake George.

1755 — Major-General Johnson, in
command of British-American army,
defeats French in Battle of Lake
George; 250 Mohawks in Johnson's
army; King Hendrick, Mohawk sa-
chem, killed; Johnson was made a bar-
onet and made colonial Indian superin-
tendent and voted £5,000 by the En-
glish parliament, for this victory.
Johnson was wounded in the thigh in
this battle.

1758 — Gen. Johnson with militia and
Indians starts for support of Gen.
Webb's British-American expedition to
reinforce Fort Oswego. Webb turns
back, Fort Oswego falls and Johnson's
party returns.

1756, August — Gen. Johnson leads In-
dians and militia to assist Gen. Webb's
party for relief of Fort William Henry,
at the head of Lake George; expedi-
tion fails through Webb's incapacity
and Fort William Henry is captured by
French.

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

327

175S, April — Fort Herkimer attacl<ed;
Johnson calls out valley militia, but
enemy escapes.

1758, July 8 — Johnson and 400 Iro-
quois warriors join Gen. Abercrombie's
British-American army at Ticonderoga,
where it is disastrously defeated by
French.

1759 — Gen. Johnson succeeds to com-
mand of British-American army before
Fort Niagara, after Gen. Prideaux is
killed, and takes that French fort; 700
Iroquois in Johnson's force.

1759 — ^ Johnson founds Johnstown,
Fulton county.

1760 — Gen. Johnson joins Gen. Am-
herst's British-American army which
captures Montreal; 1,300 Iroquois war-
riors in Johnson's expedition.

1760 — British Crown grants to John-
son the "Royal Grant" of 69,000 acres
in Herkimer county, north of the Mo-
hawk; previously deeded to him by the
Mohawks.

1760 (about) — Johnson builds a sum-
mer residence, called Castle Cumber-
land, in Broadalbin town, Fulton coun-
ty; also a fishing lodge on the Sacan-
daga in the town of Northampton, Ful-
ton county.

1763 — Johnson completes Johnson
Hall at Johnstown, Fulton county, and
removes thence from Fort Johnson.

1764 — Johnson holds a grand Indian
council at Fort Niagara. From 1763-5
Johnson was continually occupied with
affairs relative to the Pontiac Indian
insurrection in the west. In 1763,
Johnson Hall was fortified.

1766 — Johnson supervises erection of
St. George's Episcopal church at Sche-
nectady. The same year he fitted up a
Masonic lodge room, for the use of the
fraternity at Johnson Hall.

1768 — Council between Sir William
Johnson, Indian colonial superintend-
ent, together with British colonial au-
thorities, and Iroquois at Fort Stanwix
(now Rome), in which Six Nations re-
linquish large part of their lands to
British Crown.

1771 — Johnson builds St. John's
(Episcopal) church at Johnstown;
school established here by Johnson
about this time.

1772 — Tryon county formed, through

the influence of Johnson, and Johns-
town made county seat.

1772 — Gov. Tryon reviews three regi-
ments of Mohawk valley militia (num-
bering 1,400 men), under command of
Gen. Johnson at Johnstown, Burnets-
lield (present Herkimer) and German
Flats.

1774, July 11— Sir William Johnson
dies at Johnstown, during Indian coun-
cil. Funeral attended by 2,000 people,
including many colonial officials and
Indian chiefs. Sir John Johnson suc-
ceeds to his estate, including 173,000
acres of land.

1634-1911— MOHAWK VALLEY
TRAVELERS' CHRONOLOGY.

This work contains accounts of
twelve journeys through the Mohawk
valley or over the Mohawk river, and
this is a more complete list of these
historic accounts than is contained in
any work on the Mohawk valley, so
far as the editor of this work knows.
These interesting accounts throw a
personal and vivid light on the history
of this loca-lity and they are as follows:

1634 (Series I., Chapter I) — Account
of Dutch explorers, particularly of the
valley from the Noses to a point oppo-
site Caroga creek.

1757 (Series I., Chapter VI.)— French
account of the Mohawk valley, north
and south shore roads, from Fort Can-
ajoharie (Indian Castle) to Schenec-
tady.

1760 (appendix) — Account of Mrs.
Grant of Laggan (author of the Me-
moirs of an American Lady) of Mo-
hawk river voyage from Schenectady
to Wood creek, and thence to Oswego,
with stop at Fort Canajoharie (Indian
Castle).

1783 (Series I., Chapter XVIII.) —
Capt. Thompson's journey from Fort
Plain to Fort Oswego, bearing news of
cessation of Revolutionary war hos-
tilities.

1788 (appendix) — First Mohawk val-
ley trip of Elkanah Watson, Schenec-
tadj' to Fort Schuyler (Rome).

1791 (appendix) — Second Mohawk
valley trip of Elkanah Wa.tson and
companions, Albany to Oneida lake,

328

APPENDIX

Oswego river, Onondaga lake, Cayuga
and Seneca lakes, resulting in the for-
mation of the Inland Lock and Navi-
gation Co. and improvement of Mo-
hawk river in 1796.

1792 (Series I., Chapter I.) — Account
of traveler's trip through the Mohawk
valley in 1792, from Schenectady to
Oneida Castle.

1802 (Series II., Chapter I.)— Account
of Rev. John Taylor's valley trip from
Tribes Hill to Little Falls. See also
account of Little Falls in Series II.,
Chapter VI., by Rev. Mr. Taylor.

1807 (Series II., Chapter VI.)— Chris-
tian Schultz's trip by packet batteau
up the Mohawk river to Wood creek.

1825 (Series II., Chapter VII.)— Thur-
low Weed's stagecoach journey over
the Mohawk turnpike.

1848 (Series III., Chapter II.)— Trip
of Lossing, the historian, from Curry-
town to Sharon Springs to Cherry
Valley to Fort Plain; also reference to
Erie canal packet boat trip from Fort
Plain to Fultonville in Series III.,
Chapter XV.

1911 (Series III., Chapter V.)— Aero-
plane flight of Atwood from Syracuse
to Nelliston and from Nelliston to Cas-
tleton, on his St. Louis to New York
air journey. The Mohawk river por-
tion of the trip is described in a sketch
by Atwood entitled "Following the Mo-
hawk."

MOHAWK VALLEY MANUFACTUR-
ING CHRONOLOGY — SKETCHES
OF PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIES AND
OF CHEESE DAIRYING.

Following is a chronology of Mo-
hawk valley manufacturing, inclusive
of the manufacture of dairy products.
This does not cover all the industries
of the six Mohawk valley counties but
it does include the principal industries,
in which the great majority of the
wage-earners of the valley are engag-
ed. This chronology gives at a glance
the beginnings and development of the
leading manufactures.

1800 (about) — Manufacture of cheese
for outside markets begun in Mohawk
valley. Dairying became a large val-

ley industry about 1825. Cheese mak-
ing for market purposes was intro-
duced into the Mohawk valley by New
England immigrants into the Mohawk
valley, principally in Herkimer county.

1807 — Manufacture of woolen cloth
began at Frankfort.

1820 — Manufacture of plows begun at
Utica.

1830— Harry Burrell of Salisbury,
Herkimer county, makes first ship-
ment of cheese to England (10,000
pounds).

1831 — Eliphalet Remington jr. opens
forge for manufacture of gun barrels
and firearms at Ilion, Herkimer coun-
ty. He had previously made same
from 1816 on his father's farm at
Steele's Creek, Herkimer county.

1831 — Egbert Egberts invents a
frame for knit goods manufacture, op-
erated by power, at Albany, N. Y.
Timothy Bailey aids in invention. Re-
moved to Cohoes in 1832.

1832 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Cohoes by Egberts & Bailey;
probably the inception of the knit
goods business of the country; the
Mohawk valley now (1914) being the
center of American knit goods manu-
facture.

1836 — Manufacture of axes and other
edge tools begun in Cohoes.

1836 — Manufacture of ready-made
clothing begun at Utica.

1836 — Manufacture of cotton cloth
(white goods) introduced at Cohoes by
Peter Harmony, a Spaniard, who
founded the Harmony Mills Co.

1840 — Manufacture of ingrain car-
pets begun at Hagaman's Mills by
Wait, Green & Co.; later J. Sanford &
Son of Amsterdam.

1842 — Manufacture of woolen goods
begun at Little Falls.

1845 (about) — Manufacture of yarn
begun at Little Falls.

1845 — Manufacture of railroad steam
locomotives begun at Schenectady.

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

329

1846 — -First kid glove factory of
Johnstown established.

1847 — Manufacture of worsteds be-
gun at Utica.

1848 — Manufacture of linseed oil be-
gun at Amsterdam.

1848 — Manufacture of cotton cloth
(white goods) begun at Utica; now
(1914) largest center of this industry
in New York state.

1857 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Amsterdam.

1859 — Manufacture of cotton and
paper bags begun at Canajoharie.

1863 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Utica.

1863 — Manufacture of knit goods ma-
chinery on a large scale begun in
Cohoes.

1865 — Manufacture of furniture be-
gun at Fort Plain.

1868 — Blood's broom factory estab-
lished at Amsterdam; first large
broom factory of that city.

1872 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Herkimer.

1872 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Little Falls.

1875 — Alfred Dolge locates at Dolge-
ville and begins manufacture of felt
goods, etc.

1878 — Manufacture of brass begun at
Rome, Oneida county.

1886 — Manufacture of desks and
typewriter cabinets begun at Herki-
mer.

1887 — Manufacture of copper begun
at Rome, Oneida county.

1887 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at Fort Plain.

1888 — General Electric Co. moves to
Schenectady.

1889 — Manufacture of player pianos
and piano actions begun at St. Johns-
ville.

1890 (about) — Manufacture and
packing of foodstuffs begun at Cana-
joharie.

1892 — Manufacture of knit goods be-
gun at St. Johnsville.

We have seen, in this review of
events, the development of agriculture
and manufactories in the valley. From
a line of general crops raised on the
farm we have witnessed a gradual

change to dairying and haying with
corn, oats, hops and barley as subsid-
iary crops. Also there has been a
gradual increase in poultry, fruit-rais-
ing and market gardening. The rais-
ing of broom corn and hops, once im-
portant crops, have practically ceased
except in Schoharie county, where hops
are yet raised.

In 1909, in the six Mohawk valley
counties, there were 18,457 farms, with
about 1,350,000 acres of improved farm
land, raising over $30,000,000 of pro-
ducts, exclusive of lumber.

Manufacturing in the Mohawk val-
ley was generally introduced by New
England men, who settled in the val-
ley, after the close of the Re\oIution.
Men of "Mohawk Dutch" descent also
soon joined in this industrial move-
ment, after it was brought well under
way by the valley "Yankees."

Following the completion of the Erie
canal came a boom in town building
and the gradual growth of manufactures,
which, however, had their greatest de-
velopment in the valley after the Civil
war. Today we see Utica a great knit
goods and white goods manufacturing
center, Rome a large producer of brass
and copper goods, Frankfort of tools,
Ilion the state's largest manufacturing
center of typewriters and firearms, at
Herkimer a great desk and furniture
industry, Little Falls, St. Johnsville,
Fort Plain, Amsterdam and Cohoes,
centers for knit goods manufacturing,
Dolgeville, New York's leading felt
producing town, at Gloversville and
Johnstown 80 per cent of the country's
leather glove industry, Amsterdam the
second carpet and rug manufacturing
center in New York and the first
broom -making city, and Schenectady
the largest producer of electrical ap-
paratus in the world, and the first New
York city in the manufacture of loco-
motives. Those cited are only the lead-
ing industries of each town and there
are other important and interesting
industries, such as the making of
player pianos at St. Johnsville, the
manufacture of bags and the packing
of food stuffs at Canajoharie, and a
hundred other kinds of important in-
dustries located within the confines of

330

APPENDIX

the six Mohawk valley counties — aside
from Schoharie, which is almost en-
tirely an agricultural section, possess-
ing but few manufacturing establish-
ments.

It was about the middle of the nine-
teenth century and particularly at the
close of the Civil war that the Mohawk
valley changed from an agricultural to
a manufacturing district — now one of
the most important in the United
States.

In the Mohawk valley, at Palatine
Bridge, was developed the sleeping and
palace car and the elevated car roof;
at Newport, the Yale lock and, at
Ilion, the modern typewriter, while
Cohoes was the birthplace of the knit
goods industry. Herkimer county was
also the birthplace of American cheese
making for market. Today at Schen-
ectady the laboratories of the General
Electric Company are continvially pro-
ducing new electrical devices.

A study of local manufacturing and
agricultural interests is advised for
public school pupils, in connection
with the study of valley history. They
should be considered in connection
with their birth, growth and present
importance.

In 1912 in the six Mohawk valley
counties there were 1,321 factories, em-
ploying 88,271 operatives, producing
goods of an estimated value of $200,-
000,000 annually.

For detailed New York state manu-
facturing information consult the New
York State Department of Labor In-
dustrial Directory.

The following sketches of the prin-
cipal manufacturing industries of the
Mohawk valley, properly belong in the
section of this work devoted to "Addi-
tions." However, as the manufactur-
ing chronology belongs under the Mo-
hawk Valley Chronology it has been
thought best to publish both the man-
ufacturing chronology and the histori-
cal and descriptive sketches of Mo-
hawk valley manufactures in this
place. The industries of the valley are
varied, unique and important, and, be-
sides those mentioned, there are here
represented many of the manufactures
of the United States. The leading in-

dustries are agriculture, knit goods,
electrical machinery, leather gloves
and leather, white goods, rugs and car-
pets and wood working.

Industries of the six Mohawk valley
counties which employ over 1,000
hands are here described. Two others
— broom making and felt manufactur-
ing— which employ nearly 1,000 hands
and which soon will probably exceed
that number, are also included. The
leading industries are here described
in their chronological order, beginning
with cheese dairying, which was the
first to develop and which the editor of
this work considers as much manufac-
turing as any other industry.

178.5-1914 — Cheese dairying and gen-
eral dairying in Herkimer county and
the Mohawk valley.

The following account comprises a
history (from 178.5 to 1914) and de-
scription of cheese-making and dairy-
ing in Herkimer county and the Mo-
hawk valley. It may be remembered
that the same conditions, etc., apply to
the valley adjacent to Herkimer, ex-
cept in the earliest years of cheese-
making, particularly to Montgomery
and Oneida counties, as well as Herki-
mer. It is a fine line which divides
some agricultural from industrial work
or manufacturing. It is difficult to un-
derstand why cheese-making or butter
making is not as much a manufactur-
ing enterprise as the making of loco-
motives, a rug or an undershirt. Also
why cheese-making should be consid-
ered an agricultural pursuit and the
manufacture of condensed milk a man-
ufacturing enterprise is a question.

From Hardin's History of Herkimer
County (1893), Chapter VII., on "His-
tory of Cheese Dairying in Herkimer
County," taken from a chapter written
(in 1878) by X. A. Willard. The fol-
lowing contains almost the entire
paper:

The rock, which underlies a large
share of the lands in the towns north
of the Mohawk, is the Utica slate. It
is of a dark color, of a soft or flaky
nature, is found cropping out in nu-
merous places, and, when exposed to
the atmosphere and frosts, readily falls

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

331

to pieces and is mingled with tlic soil.
Tile rocl< contains consideralile organic
matter (according to Emmons, more
tlian ten parts in one liundred), is
ciiarged with sulphur and contains
lime, and, when near the surface,
forms a soil rich in fertilizing ele-
ments and not easily exhaustilile. In-
stances can be pointed out where fields
of this black slate have been plowed

and cultivated for
years in succession
cation of manures
returns each year;
turcs and meadows

more than twenty
without the appli-
and yielding good
and there are pas-
that have lain in

grass for thirty or forty years and
which are still yielding abundant crops.

In the towns south of the Mohawk
river, the Utica slate is found only to a
limited extent, the Frankfort slate,
limestone and Marcellus shales being
the characteristic underlying rocks.

It is the modifying influence which
these rocks are supposed to exert on
the grasses and the comparatively
large surface over which they extend,
together with the abundant supply of
never- failing streams and springs of
pure water, that render Herkimer
county peculiarly adapted to grazing,
giving a richness and flavor to her
cheese product not easily obtained in
less favored localities.

The fall of rain and snow during the
year is considerably more here than in
many other parts of the state, and this
is supposed to act fa\'oral3ly on the
grasses and in the preservation of
meadows. The grasses usually grown
and considered most productive are
timothy, June or Kentucky blue grass,
red top and orchard grass, with the
clovers, red and white. These grow
on the sward and are well adapted to
the soil and climate. White clover and
June grass are indigenous and are
deemed of great value for pasturage.

* * * At first and for many years
after dairying had become established,
farmers raised their own stock by se-
lecting calves from their best cows,
and in this way the milking stock was
greatly improved. The early settlers
along the Mohawk came mostly from
Germany and Holland and they
brought with them and reared here
what was known as the "Dutch cow."
She was medium in size, black and
white, often red and white, very hardy,
a good feeder and of deep milking
hal:)it. The early dairymen got their
best cows from this breed. * * * y^g
the price of cheese advanced, the prac-
tise of filling up the herds, with stock
driven from other counties, often from
remote localities, obtained; and, al-
though this means of keeping good the
herd was more or less deprecated by
farmers as unsatisfactory, still the
practise grew and became pretty gen-
eral. [In the thirty-six years — from
1878 to 1914 — since the writing of this

article there has been an almost com-
plete reversion to the Dutch cow of the
first settlers — the Holstein-Frisian
breed, which is in general use by the
progressive dairymen of the Mohawk
valley. Short-Horn Durhams, Devons,
Ayrshires and Jerseys were introduced
between 1830 and 1900, but they have
been generally discarded now (1914)
for the "Dutch cow."]

Herkimer county may justly claim
the honor of giving liirth to cheese
dairying as a specialty in America.
It was from Herkimer county that the
business began to spread to the ad-
joining counties, and from thence to
the different states and to Canada. In
many instances, Herkimer countj'
dairymen, removing to distant locali-
ties, were the first to plant the busi-
ness in their new homes; while in
many instances, cheese- dairying was
commenced by drawing upon Herkimer
for cheese makers to manage the
dairies. Often too, parties were sent
into the county to obtain a knowledge
of cheese making, and, returning home,
carried the art into new districts. Thus
for many years Herkimer was the great
center from which the new districts
drew the necessary information and
skill for prosecuting the business of
cheese dairying with profit and suc-
cess.

Cheese was made in small quantities
in the county as early as 1800. In 1785
a numlier of persons, emigrating from
New England, settled in the tovi'n of
Fairfield [Herkimer county]; among
them may be named Cornelius Chat-
field, Benjamin Bowen, Nathan Arnold,
John Bucklin, Daniel Fenner, Nathan
Smith, the Eatons, Neelys, Peter and
William Brown and others. Some of
these families, coming from Cheshire,
Mass.. lirought with them a practical
knowledge of the method by which
cheese was made in a small way in
Cheshire. But notable among these
families were Nathan Arnold, Daniel
Fenner and the Browns, who settled in
the southern part of the town of Fair-
field and near each other. Arnold's
w'ife was a cheese maker, and he is
the first, it is believed, who began
cheese dairying in the county.

Except along the Mohawk nearly the
whole county was then a dense forest.
Brant, the famous Mohawk chief, and
his bloody warriors, had been gone
several years but traces of their pillage
and murders were fresh among the
early settlers in the valley and along
the river. * * *

From 1800 to 1826 cheese-dairying
had become pretty general in Herki-
mer countv but the herds were mostly
small. As early as 1812-1816 the larg-
est herds, numbering aliout forty each,
were those belonging to William Fer-
ris, Samuel Carpenter, Nathan Salis-
bury and Isaac Smith in the northern

332

APPENDIX

part of the county, and they were re-
garded as extraordinary for their size.

About 1826 the business began to be
established in adjoining counties, in
single dairies here and there, and gen-
erally by persons emigrating from
Herkimer county. The implements and
appurtenances of the dairy were then
very rude. The milking was done in
open yards and milking barns were un-
known. The milk was curded in
wooden tubs, the curd cut with a long
wooden knife and broken with the
hands. The cheeses were pressed in log
presses standing exposed to the
weather. The cheeses were generally
thin and small. They were held
through the season and, in the fall,
when ready for market, were packed in
rough casks made for the purpose and
shipped to different localities for home
consumi)tion. Prices in those days
were low, ranging from 4 cents to 6
cents per pound. * * *

In 1826, Harry Burrell of Salisl)ury,
Herkimer county, then a young man
full of enterprise and courage, having
learned something of the sly methods
of Ferris and Nesbith [of Massachu-
setts, then the leading valley buyers
of cheese] resolved to enter the field as
their competitor. He pushed his oper-
ations with great vigor and bought a
large share of the cheese at a price
above that figured by the Massachu-
setts firm. He afterwards became the
chief dealer in dairy goods in Central
New York, often purchasing the entire
product of cheese made in the United
States.

Mr. Burrell was the first to open a
cheese trade with England, commenc-
ing shipping as a venture in 1830 or
1832, at the suggestion of Erastus
Corning of Albany. The first shipment
was about 10,000 pounds. He was the
first also to send cheese to Philadel-
phia [first shipping there in 1828. Mr.
Burrell's business, on his death, was
carried on by his sons D. H. Burrell
and E. S. Burrell of Little Falls, which
place was the home of Harry Burrell
during the last twenty years of his
life].

From 1836 to 1860 several Herkimer
county merchants had entered the field
as cheese buyers, the most notable of
whom were Samuel Perry of New-
port, V. S. Kenyon of Middlcville, A. H.
Buel of Fairfield, Perry & Sweezy of
Newport, Benjamin Silliman of Salis-
bury, T^orenzo Carryl of Salisbury,
Frederick Ives, James H. Ives, Roger
Bamber of Stark, Simeon Osburne of
Herliimer and several others. Cheese
during this time was usually bought
on long credits, the dealers going
through the country and purchasing
the entire lot of cheese made or to be
made during the season, advancing a
small part of the money and agreeing
to pay the balance on the first of Jan-

uary following. Failures would occur
from time to time and the farmers sell-
ing to these unfortunate speculators
not unfreciuently lost the bulk of their
labor for the season.

Up to 1840 the dairymen of Herkimer
had made but little improvement in
farm buildings or in appliances for
the dairy. Lands were comparatively
cheap and it was no unusual thing for
men with little or no means to buy
farms and pay for them by dairying.
A1)out this time or a little earlier the
smaller farms of the county l>egan to
be absorbed by well-to-do dairymen
and the plan of renting farms on what
is known as the "two-fifths" system
began to be adopted. * * *

In 1840 farmers had become so pros-
perous from dairying that they began
to pay more attention to the care and
management of stock. They not only
looked more closely to the comifort of
the herds, but "milking barns" for their
own convenience and comfort began to
be pretty generally substituted for the
op(^n yard in milking.

About this time also the first dairy
steamer for making cheese was
brought out by G. Farmer of Herki-
mer. It consisted of a boiler for the
generation of steam, attached to a
stove or furnace, with a pipe for con-
veying steam from the boiler to the
milk vat, on the same principle as the
mills: vats now in use.

A Ijranch of the steam pipe was con-
nected with a tub for heating water
for washing utensils used in the dairy.
This apparatus of course was a crude
affair compared with the modern,
highly-improved cheese vat and steam
boiler, but it was the first invention of
the kind and led to grand results in
labor-saving appliances in the dairy.
In al)out ten years after Farmer's in-
vention, which was extensively intro-
duced into Herkimer and other cotm-
ties, William G. Young of Cedarville
brought out the steel curd-knife, which
was a great improvement over the wire
and tin cutters that Truman Cole of
Fairfield had invented and had got into
general use. The log presses were also
fast going out of use — their place be-
ing supplied by the Kendall press. The
Taylor and Oysten presses, both in-
vented by Herkimer county men, were
further improvements brought out be-
tween 1850 and 1860.

From 1850 to 1860 dairying began to
assume formidable proportions. Prices
had gradually risen from 5 to 7 cents,
from 7 cents to 9 cents, and the busi-
ness was considered more prosperous
than any other farm industry. During
this period the farmers of Herkimer
. county had generally acquired wealth
or a substantial competence, and this
was shown in the improved buildings
and premises.

In 1857 Jesse Williams of Rome,

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

333

Oneida county (a dairyman who had
learned cheese -making in Herkimer)
conceived the idea of the factory sys-
tem, hut it did not hegin to attract
much attention until 1860, when plans
were inaugurated for testing the sys-
tem in Herkimer. The first factories
were erected by Avery «& Ives of Salis-
bury and by Mr. Shell of Russia. The
system did not spread so rapidly at
first in Herkimer, as it has in some
new sections, because cheese-making
was better understood by the mass of
the farmers here than elsewhere; and
the cheese of Herkimer having a high
reputation in many of the large dairies,
the dairymen were at first a little
doulitful as to the success of the fac-
tories. They, however, soon wheeled
into line, and now the last state cen-
sus gives the number of factories in
Herkimer county, in 1874, at 88, aggre-
gating a capital of $235,070, and paying
out annually in wages the sum of $48,-
181. The number of cows in the coun-
ty, whose milk was sent to the fac-
tories that year, was 32,372 and in 1875,
34,070; the number of patrons was
1.303.

[In 18G1] « * * Dairymen and
dealers began to meet at Little Falls on
certain days of the week, for the pur-
pose of making transactions in cheese.
There was a large number of home
dealers, some of them acting as agents
for New York, Philadelphia and Balti-
more houses, while others were seek-
ing transactions on their own account.
The fact that so many dairymen had
lost money the previous year and the
desire, on their part to sell for cash or
short credits helped to start "Sales
day" or a, public market at Little Falls.
Dairymen commenced in the Spring to
bring small parcels of cheese into town
on Mondays, offering it for sale to resi-
dent dealers and transactions were
readily made, * * * and "market
days," for the sale of dairy products at
Little Falls, were inaugurated. At first
two days in the week, Mondays and
Wednesdays, were agreed upon, and
the plan worked well and was satis-
factory to all concerned. Soon dealers
from New York and other cities began
to visit the market, making such se-
lections as they desired, while the
dairymen, selling for cash and meet-
ing with buyers who were ready to
compete for their goods, were so pleas-
ed with the arrangement that they did
not care to dispose of their cheese in
any other way. * * *

In 1864 the first weekly reports of
the Little Falls market, then and now
[1878] the largest interior dairy mar-
ket in the world, began to be made by
the writer in the Utica Morning Her-
ald. Previous to 1864, farmers relied
on city quotations which were lielieved
to be in the merchants' favor. Indeed
so sharp was the competition at Little

Falls that the prices paid at this mar-
ket every week were not infrequently
above New York quotations, and
dairymen from other sections sought
eagerly for these reports before selling.
The factories also were sending their
salesmen on the market; not only from
Herkimer but from the adjoining coun-
ties, the "sales day" now being on Mon-
day only of each week. From
1864 to 1870, the Little Falls
cheese market had acquired so
high a reputation that it was
considered the center of the trade in
America, and its weekly transactions
had a controlling infiuence in estab-
lishing prices on the sealjoard. Re-
ports of the market at its close, were
telegraphed, not only to parties en-
gaged in the trade in our leading cities,
))ut to the great cheese centers of Liv-
erpool and London. During this time,
Ijesides a great number of farm-dairy-
men attending the market weekly,
salesmen from 300 factories have some-
times been present while the regular
list of factories doing business in the
market numbered about 200. The
quantity of cheese annually sold on the
market has been estimated at 25,000,-
000 to 30,000,000 pounds, but the actual
shipment of dairy produce from the
county was considerably less, as the
factories after selling their goods by
sample, shipped them at the railroad
depots nearest the factory.

The "export" quantity (other than
sold for local use) of cheese sent out
from Herkimer county in 1864 was 16,-
767,999 pounds, and, of butter, 492,673
pounds. In 1869 it was 15,570,487
pounds of cheese and 204,634 pounds
of butter.

Up to 1871 the butter market at
Little Falls had been held in the open
street, but, early in January of that
year, steps were taken to organize a
Dairy Board of Trade for the State,
with headquarters at Little Falls, that
being the chief and only dairy market
in the interior of the country.

In February, 1871, the New York
State Dairymen's Association and
Board of Trade was organized at Lit-
tle Falls, at a public meeting there,
this being the first dairymen's board
of trade organized on the continent.
Similar associations shortly followed
at Utica, N. Y., and Elgin, 111., and in
other sections. Shortly after the or-
ganization of the Little Falls Dairy-
men's Association and Board of Trade,
the citizens of Little Falls fitted up a
board of trade room. In 1878 nearly
all the factory made cheese of Herki-
mer county went to England.

Butter making has never been ex-
tensively practised as a specialty in
Herkimer county, although consider-
able quantities of butter are made in
the spring and fall in connection with
cheese manufacture. The usual plan.

S34

APPENDIX

in these seasons, when milk is deliv-
ered at the factories, is to allow far-
mers to skim one day's milk or the
night mess of milk and then deliver
the skimmed milk. In farm dairies the
milk is set for a longer or a shorter
period, and the skimmed milk made
into cheese. But this practise obtains
for the most part only in spring- and
fall, while some of the factoiies will
not allow any skimming, believing that
a high reputation can only be main-
tained by manufacturing at all times
nothing but "full-milk cheese." A few
creameries have from time to time
been operated in the county.

Commenting on the above [1878] ar-
ticle Hardin's [1892] History of Herki-
mer County, says:

Since the foregoing paper was writ-
ten but few changes have taken place
in cheese-dairying in Herkimer coun-
ty. The annual production of dairy
products shows slight fluctuations
from year to year, but has neither ma-
terially increased or decreased. The
changes which have occurred have
been mostly along the line of advanced
methods of manufacture. The intro-
duction of improved machinery into
cheese and butter factories and of bet-
ter blood into dairy herds. The ma-
chine recently [1892] invented by Dr.
Babcock of the Wisconsin Experiment
Station, Madison, Wis., for testing
milk to determine the quantity of but-
ter fats, is now in use in some cream-
eries and factories, while the separa-
tor is quite extensively employed in the
manufacture of butter.

Dairymen are giving more attention
to means for increasing the capacity
of their herds both with regard to pro-
duction and quality of milk. The in-
troduction of full-blooded males of the
Holstein-Frisian [Dutch cow], Jersey
and Guernsey breeds, for the accom-
plishment of this end, is consequently
receiving considerable attention,

which, with the better care and man-
agement, is gradually improving the
average of the dairy cows of the
county. The silo too, is beginning to
command attention from the most pro-
gressive dairy farmers, a dozen or
more being in successful operation in
different localities in the county. A
movement is also being made in the
direction of winter dairying, which
bids fair to add new impetus to this
already important and prosperous in-
dustry.

In 1892 Herkimer county sold for
"export" (other than home use), 206.-
058 boxes of cheese, at an average of
60 lbs. per box, or a total for the year
of 12,363,483 lbs., at an average price
of .0915 cents per lb. The total value
of this was $1,131,258, which, with
the addition of $87,404 worth of

dairy cheese, made a grand total for
Herkimer county, in 1892, of $1,218,662.
Prices from 1890 to 1892 ranged from
6%c to lie per pound.

There have been considerable gen-
eral changes in the conditions of Mo-
hawk valley dairying from the year
when the foregoing was written (in
1878 and 1893) until the present (1914).
In the last twenty years there seems
to have been a tendency away from
cheese-making — toward the production
and shipping of milk and cream to
cities and toward the manufacture of
milk into products such as butter and
condensed milk. There seems also to
be a tendency among farmers toward
combination in dairy production, a
natural sign of the present times
(1914).

Since 1893 the Dutch or Holstein-
Frisian cow has resumed its old-time
supremacy along the Mohawk, it being
the animal favored by local dairymen.
Also since 1893 Utica has vied with
Little Falls as an interior first-hand
market for cheese, and for a number
of years the volume of cheese business
transacted in Utica exceeded that of
Little Falls. In 1913, however, Little
Falls did a larger business than Utica,
regaining once more its paramount po-
sition as the leading eastern cheese
market.

The Fort Plain market, Feb. 22, 1914,
quoted 161/^ cents as the price paid
producers of cheese for their product,
while 22 cents was quoted as the retail
price. In cities and points remote
from dairy sections, the retail price of
"American cheese" is greater (1914).
Pasteurized milk sold in New York in
1914 for 10 cents per quart bottle,
while the prediction was made, by
those in a position to know, that it
would not be many years before the
metropolitan retail price per quart bot-
tle would be 15 cents. Notwithstand-
ing this increase in price paid to far-
mers, creameries and cheese factories
for milk and milk products, it is said
that the dairy herds of New York state
are decreasing in size and that far-
mers are going into other lines of ag-
ricultural production. It was stated
that in 1913 the dairy herds of the

MOPIAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

335

state decreased 30,000 cows. This con-
dition is certainly peculiar. The re-
quirements of the State Board of Ag-
riculture may have affected the situa-
tion. All dairy farms and premises
nowadays must be perfectly sanitary,
or, rather, they are supposed to be.
Rigid cattle inspection is practised and
frequently farmers lose a considerable
part of their herds because their cat-
tle become infected by tuberculosis and
are killed by state orders. It may be
that in the future a general applica-
tion of the laws of sanitation to farms
will make sickly cows a rarity and the
farmer, adapting himself to new con-
ditions, will make a fair profit at the
business of dairying, for its products
are bound to increase in value. Many
farmers find profit in the business in
this year — 1914.

In 1912, in the six Mohawk valley
counties, there were condensed milk
factories located at Deansboro and
Holland Patent, Oneida county; New-
port, Herkimer county; St. Johnsville,
Nelliston and Fultonville, Montgomery
county. The Mohawk valley furnishes
a large part of the New York city milk
supply, as well as a large part of its
cheese and butter.

There are (1914) manufactures of
dairy machinery (165 employes) and of
butter color and dairy preparations (21
employes) at Little Falls. A tendency
toward organization among valley
dairymen has become marked in recent
years and there are many town and
county dairymen's associations in ex-
istence. Very recently (April, 1914) a
movement has been started toward a
comprehensive association of the dairy
producers of the three principal valley
dairy counties of Oneida, Herkimer
and Montgomery, as the following clip-
ping will show:

Herkimer Citizen, April 7, 1914:
Tuesday, in Herkimer, there was a
meeting held of those interested in the
formation of a Dairymen's League for
this vicinity. The meeting was infor-
mal and was for the purpose of talk-
ing over the matter. It is proposed to
have the organization take in the milk
producers from Fort Plain to Holland
Patent. A committee of sellers can
act for the entire district. The follow-
ing milk stations were represented at

the meeting: Fort Plain, Little Falls,
Middleville, Newport, Holland Patent,
Prospect, Remsen, Trt-nton, Graves-
ville, Indian Castle, Poland, Cedar-
ville and Inghams Mills.

That great good is expected as a re-
sult of the organization is shown by a
comparison, of the prices in this [Her-
kimer] section with those that prevail-
ed at Holland Patent, where a Dairy-
men's League has been formed and is
in operation. The average for the Bor-
den prices in this section is $1.20 for
the six months. At Trenton it is
$1.47%, at Holland Patent $1,551/2 and
at Gravesville $1.54 1-6.

1S05-1809 — Fulton county's glove and
leather industry first started.

Beers's "History of Montgomery and
Fulton Counties" (1878) on page 175,
gives a history of the origin of the glove
and leather dressing business in Ful-
ton county. It is in part as follows:

The business started first, as such, in
Kingsboro (now on the northern limits
of Gloversville) in 1809. That village
and the surrounding country was orig-
inally settled by people from New Eng-
land, many of whom were skilled in the
manufacture of tin. They were of gen-
uine Yankee stock, cute and indus-
trious and unlike their Dutch neigh-
bors along the Mohawk, took more
naturally to manufacture and to trade
than to farming. Hence they were ac-
customed to manufacture tin, load a
horse with it and, leading the beast up
the Mohawk and "Chenango country,"
as it was then called, would exchange
the tinware for wheat, also for any
other products which they needed or
could readily sell.

The deer skins, one of which they
generally bought for a medium sized
tin basin, were sometimes rather a
burden, for they were not used for
much else than jackets and breeches,
being prized more particularly for the
latter purpose, because of their lasting
qualities — no small consideration in
those days of comparative poverty,
economy and hard work.

The inhabitants had learned to tan
the skins for clothing, according to the
Indian process, using the brain of the
deer itself, when convenient, but at
this time often substituting the brains
of hogs for that purpose. It is said
that the brains of a deer will tan the
hide, containing as it does the same
elements as the "soda ash" fat liquor
in use at the present day. *****

About 1809 Tallmadge Edwards, for-
merly a leather-dresser in England,

* * * moved from Massachusetts to
Johnstown. In that year James Burr

* * * * hired Edwards to come to

336

APPENDIX

Kingsboro and teach them his art of
dressing leather. Mr. Burr, in 1809,
made vip a few pairs of mittens whicli
he toolc up the Mohawlv and bartered
off. In the following year he made a
considerable numlier and sold at least
part of them by the dozen, the first
transaction of the kind. He subse-
quently made material improvements
in the process of dressing skins, the
most noticeable of which was the in-
vention of the "bucktail," for which he
received a patent. The apparatus is
still in use, but the invention, like
many others, proved rather a loss than
otherwise to the inventor.

At this time, .and much later, no
gloves were manufactured, but only
rough heavy mittens, which were need-
ed to protect the hands of farmers and
woodmen in cold and heavy labor.
Even the leather which was produced
up to a quite recent date [prior to
1S78] was unfit for the manufacture of
gloves, being too stiff and heavy. As
lately as about * * * [1850], it is
said, gloves were seldom cut, except
an occasional pair, taken from the
thinnest and most pliable parts of the
skins. Gloves were originally cut, it is
said, by laying a pasteboard pattern on
the leather and following it with the
shears. But very indifferent progress
could be made in that way with the
elastic leather now in use, and this fact
shows the difference in quality quite
distinctly. E. P. Newten started, in
1859, the first general machine works
in P'ulton county for the manufacture
of glove and mitten cutting machines.
The goods made in earlier days, how-
ever uncouth, furnished a good means
of disposing of surplus deer skins,
which, instead of being a drug on the
market, were eagerly sought for, and
when made up, were returned, with the
next parcel of tinware, to be rebar-
tered to parties from whom the skins
had been obtained, besides being put
upon the market for sale to any who
wished to purchase. Elisha Judson, it
is said, carried east, about 1825, the
first load of gloves ever driven into
Boston. The trip took six weeks.

In justice to others it may be said
that the inception of Fulton county's
glove business has been ascribed to
others than those above mentioned.
William C. Mills, in 1805, and Ezekiel
Case (a former Cincinnati citizen) in
1806, are said to have started leather
dressing and glove making operations.
However it is certain that some time,
during the years from 1805 to 1809, the
leather dressing and glove making bus-
iness of Fulton county began the start
of its remarkable later growth.

In 1912 over 7,000 persons were em-
ployed in the glove industry and
leather dressing business of Fulton

county, and Johnstown and Glovers-
ville did SO per cent of the glove mak-
ing of the United States. Johnstown
and Gloversville are today (1914) the
first towns in New York state in the
manufacture of leather gloves and the
dressing and preparation of leather.
The latest invention in this industry
is that of washable leather.

1831 — Eliphalet Remington estab-
lishes an arms factory at Ilion. 1873—
Typewriter construction begun in
Remington works at Ilion.

In 1831, Eliphalet Remington jr.
started a forge, at Ilion, Herkimer
county, for the manufacture of gun
barrels and firearms. He had pre-
viously had a small forge on his
father's farm at Steele's Creek, Her-
kimer county. The business developed
rapidly and during the years, 1861-5,
furnished a large amount of arms to
the Union armies, from the Reming-
ton factory at Ilion and a branch fac-
tory in Utica. About this time the
Remington breech-loading gun was
completed. In 1873, James Densmore,
the inventor of the typewriter, came
to Ilion and interested the Remingtons
in his invention and shortly after the
manufacture of typewriters began here,
an industry which has developed into
one of the largest in the valley.

In 1912, in the Remington type-
writer works, 2,851 hands were em-
ployed and in the Remington arms
works, 1,127 people were employed.
Over 300 hands are employed in a fire-
arm factory in Utica, making about
1,500 people engaged in the manufac-
ture of arms in the Mohawk valley.

1832 — Cohoes knitting industry es-
tablished.

The father of the knitting business
in this country was Egbert Egberts.
While living in Albany in 1831, he be-
came interested in the making of knit
goods. Here he made his primary ex-
periments in the construction of a
knitting frame to be operated by
power. Timothy Bailey, a practical
mechanic, became associated with Eg-
berts in this work of experimentation.
Bailey built a wooden frame, which,

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

337

when turned by hand, accomplished, in
a small way, what Egberts desired. A
knitting machine had already been in-
vented. One was; bought in Bhiladel-
phia by Bailey and brought to Albany,
and his contrivance was applied, so as
to produce knit goods by turning a
crank. In 1832 Egberts and Bailey re-
moved to Cohoes. The new machine
was arranged to run by water power.
Soon eight of these machines were
constructed by Timothy Bailey and set
in motion. The next step was to com-
mence carding and spinning, thus pre-
paring their own yarn. In this way
the foundation was laid for the ex-
tensive knit goods business, which is
an industry of the greatest importance
in the Mohawk valley, and in the
United States as well.

For some time the new invention
was kept a secret. The doors were
fastened by spring locks. Even Gen.
George S. Bradford, who ran the mill
by contract, was compelled to make an
agreement that he would not enter the
knitting room. Timothy Bailey, and
a. foreman who worked with liim, were
the only ones who understood the ma-
chines.

In 1853 there were three knitting
mills in Cohoes, employing 750 hands
and producing 45,000 dozen goods an-
nually. In 1883 there were 25 knitting
mills in Cohoes, with 177 sets of cards,
595 knitting cylinders and 4,140 oper-
ators. $1, COO, 000 was estimated to
have been paid out annually, about
this period, to employes in the Cohoes
knit goods business. In 1863 the man-
ufacture of knitting machinery was
begun on a considerable scale at
Cohoes, the birthplace of the knitting
industry, which is now (1914) one of
the two mammoth industries of the
valley — knit goods and the making of
electrical machinery. In 1912, 17,000
persons were employed in the knit
goods industry in the Mohawk valley.
There were factories in nineteen valley
towns, with Utica, Amsterdam, Cohoes
and Little Falls, the principal points
of production in the order named.

1836 — Cohoes, Harmony Mills (for
the manufacture of white goods) es-
tablished.

Peter Harmony, a Spaniard, was the
founder of these mills and from him
they have taken their name. Asso-
ciated with him were many local pub-
lic-spirited men and capitalists (largely
of Dutch ancestry).

The company bought a tract of land
about a quarter of a mile south of the
Cohoes falls, and in 1837 erected a
brick building, 165 feet long, 50 feet
wide and four stories high, which com-
plete with water-wheels, flumes, etc.,
cost $72,000. Three brick blocks were
built at the same time, just west of the
mill and divided into tenements for
the use of the operatives. The mill
was equipped with the best cotton ma-
chinery then in use, and the manufac-
ture of cotton cloth [or white goods]
began under the most favorable cir-
cumstances.

Bad management or some other
cause handicapped the project from
the start and, in the thirteen years,
from 1837 to 1850, the only year which
showed a profit was the single year of
1838. In 1850, under compulsory sale,
the property was purchased by Gar-
ner & Co. of New York, and Alfred
Wild of Kinderhook. The annual pro-
duct of the mill at that time was 1,500,-
000 yards of print cloth; 700 bales of
cotton were consumed, and 250 hands
employed, a large number for that
period in the valley.

Under new management, the Har-
mony mills prospered wonderfully and
in 1883 they were the largest and most
complete cotton manufacturing estab-
lishment in the United States. New
mills of the company, or acquired by
it were built in 1844, 1846, 1849, 1853,
1857, 1867, 1872. The north wing of
the "Mastodon" or No. 3 mill, was built
in 1866-7. In excavating for the foun-
dation a.t the north end, a large pot
hole was found in the bed of what had
once been a stream of water. The pot
hole was very deep, filled with peat,
and at its bottom, 60 feet below the
surface of the street, was found the
almost perfect skeleton of a mastadon
mammoth of a former age. The bones
were carefully removed and presented
to the state. They are now mounted
and on exhibition in Geological Hall in
Albany.

338

APPENDIX

In 1912, 5,650 employes were at work
in the white goods factories of the
Mohawk valley, distributed as follows:
Utica, 2,750; New York Mills, 1,800;
Cohoes, 600; Capron, 250; New Hart-
ford, 150; Little Falls, 100. Utica is
the center of this industry for New
York state.

1840 — Amsterdam Carpet industry.

In 1840, Wait, Greene & Co. of Haga-
mans began the manufacture of car-
pets.

In 1842 William K. Greene withdrew
from the firm of Wait, Greene & Co. of
Hagamans Mills and came to Amster-
dam where he started a carpet factory
in a small factory where now stands
the Greene Knitting Co. works. A few
years later John Sanford acquired an
interest in the business, which then re-
moved to the old Harris mill further
up the stream. Later Mr. Greene re-
tired from the business and the firm
thereafter became known as J. San-
ford & Son. In 1853 the senior mem-
ber retired and Stephen Sanford be-
came sole proprietor. Later on the
firm became S. Sanford & Sons and
the Sanfords soon built up one of the
largest carpet manufactories in the
country. Several other carpet making
establishments followed.

In 1912, in Amsterdam, 4,100 persons
were employed in the manufacture of
carpets and rugs.

1845 — The Schenectady Locomotive
Works.

About 1845 Schenectady became in-
terested in the manufacture of loco-
motives. Some enterprising citizens,
among them Hon. Daniel D. Campbell,
Simon C. Groot and others, conceived
the idea of here erecting locomotive
works. Associated with the incorpor-
ators was John Ellis, "one of the
shrewdest, ablest, hardheaded, Scotch-
men and skilful mechanics the state
has ever known." The Norris brothers
of Philadelphia, about as eminent loco-
motive builders as lived in the land,
came to take control of the little plant.
The Norrises started well, but for some
reason, made a bad failure in the end.
The stockholders took charge in 1850.

A disagreement occurred, in fact grew
chronic among the shareliolders. Ellis
(the original l^ractical man of the
company) had the strength of his con-
victions and, when disputes arose,
would not give way. He was the only
real mechanic of the outfit and be-
lieved he understood his business. The
stockholders endeavored to get rid of
him but with true Scottish tenacity he
stuck to the works. Walter Mc-
Queen was associated with Ellis, and
McQueen was a grand mechanic, un-
derstanding every phase of the busi-
ness. The McQueen engine soon be-
came known all over the United
States. One of them, purchased Vjy
the government, rolled into Fairfax
Court House, one fine afternoon in the
fall of 1862, when the 134th was lying
there drilling for the awful experi-
ence they were to undergo. The Sche-
nectady men recognized an old friend,
and, swarming about it, patted it like
a horse and would have hugged it if
they could. The genius of McQueen
and the business ability of Ellis were
building up an immense plant, soon to
rival the Baldwins of Philadelphia and
the Rogers of Paterson.

Yatess Schenectady County (1902)
says: "Today the plant is one of the
largest in the world, its workmanship
unsurpassed and, in recent trials, out-
stripping every locomotive on earth.
'999' of the Empire State Express, was
the admiration of every sightseer at
the Columbian Exposition in Chicago
[in 1893]. Yet '999' is an everyday en-
gine now besides the monster of the
type of 2207 [and of still later types]."

In 1912 in Schenectady, 3,300 em-
ployes were engaged in the manufac-
ture of locomotives; in Rome 250 were
employed in this industry, a total for
the valley of 3,550 employes in locomo-
tive manufacturing.

1874 — Dolgeville felt manufacturing
established.

In 1874, Alfred Dolge, a young Ger-
man who was engaged in the import-
ing of piano material in New York,
and who also had started the domestic
manufacture of piano felt in Brook-
lyn, came up to Dolgeville, prospecting

MOHAWK VALLEY CHRONOLOGY

839

for spruce wood, which is used in the
manufacture of piano sounding boards.
He purchased the tannery property
and, in April, 1875, began his manu-
facturing operations, which later de-
veloped into the largest of their kind in
the United States and included (1893)
felt mills, felt shoe factories, factories
for piano cases, piano sounding boards,
piano hammers and lumber yards. In
1875 Dolgeville's population numbered
325. Alfred Dolge subsequently failed
and removed to California, where he
founded another Dolgeville. His in-
dustries in Dolgeville (Herkimer and
Fulton counties) have been continued
in other hands and the felt industry is
now the largest of its kind in New
York state.

In 1912, in Dolgeville, 713 persons
were engaged in the manufacture of
felt, and in Oriskany, 120, inaking a
total for the felt industry of the valley
of 833 employes.

1878 — Rome brass industry. 1887 —
Rome copper industry.

In 1878 the manufacture of brass be-
gan at Rome and in 1887 the manu-
facture of copper began there. These
are among the largest of the valley in-
dustries. In 1912, in the Rome brass
works, 1,800 employes were engaged;
in Rome copper works, there were 600
hands employed.

1888 — The General Electric Company
comes to Schenectady.

In 1888 there came a corporation to
Schenectady which was destined to
make it one of the chief manufacturing
and electrical centers of the world.
The Jones Car Works of Green Island
had come to Schenectady (in 1872) and
had established a plant on the present
site of the General Electric Company.
It failed (in 1884) and went into the
hands of a receiver. Under the direc-
tion of the court, its real estate was
offered for sale. Hon. John A. De-
Remer, the receiver, obtained an order
from the court for the sale of the prop-
erty for $45,000. The attention of the
Edison Machine Works of Georck
street, New York city, was attracted

to it and negotiations were entered
into. The company, then by no means
a large corporation, examined the sit-
uation and were struck by its advan-
tages. Its directors discovered that
they could not get in New York what
they needed. Here then were railroad
and canal connections, with all points
of the compass at the door of their
shops, and opportunities for experi-
mental work along the bank of the
canal were unequalled anywhere. But
they would give but $37,000 for the
whole outfit. The citizens took hold of
the matter and private and personal
subscription soon made up the $45,000.
The original industry grew, daily in-
creasing its output enormously and
bringing work and workmen to the
town. A connection was formed with
Thompson and Houston, with immense
plants in Lynn, Mass., and Orange, N.
J. The works doubled in size and bus-
iness. Like in all factory towns a great
number of cheap saloons sprang up on
Kruesi avenue, leading to the General
Electric Works. The General Electric
Company established its own restaur-
ant in its works and desired to close up
this street of saloons, besides which
the company needed the land for the
enlargement of its own works.

In 1899 the citizens of Schenecta.dy
raised $30,000 by subscription, the
street was purchased and given to the
General Electric Company, the gift
guarded only by the promise that if
the plant removed from Schenectady,
the property was to revert to the sub-
scribers to the fund. The corporation
soon showed its appreciation of this
generosity of the people by a subscrip-
tion of $15,000 to the local public li-
brary and by many later public bene-
factions.

In 1897, the General Electric Com-
pany did a business of $11,170,319; in
1901, of $27,969,541. 60 per cent of this
business was done at Schenectady. In
1901, the employes of the company at
Schenectady numbered 7,651, with a
pay roll of $100,000 per week.

In 1912, in the General Electric Co.'s
works at Schenectady, 17,000 persons
were employed. The works are con-
stantly enlarging and form one of the

340

APPENDIX

world's great industries. Tliey have
made Schenectady from a quiet village
of 1880 into a great city in 1914.

The woodworking establishments of
Herkimer, including desks, house and
'office furniture, and wood trim, em-
ployed 1,202 hands in 1912.

The wood manufactures of the Mo-
hawk valley, including the above and
other branches, constitute one of the
largest industries of the six valley
counties. About 2,500 persons were
engaged in the wood manufactures in
these counties (1912), principally in
Herkimer, Oneida and Montgomery, in
the order named. Herkimer was the
center of this industry and Herkimer
county employed nearly four-fifths of
the operatives in valley wood manu-
factures, principallj' at Herkimer, Lit-
tle Falls and Ilion.

Metal manufactures and iron found-
ing employed several thousand people
in the Mohawk vallej' in 1912, in many
widely varying industries, including
the making of metal beds and heating
apparatus, at Utica and Rome.

sons in the six Mohawk valley coun-
ties, 1,600 of whom were operatives in
Utica industries of this character.

Silk manufactures and silk throwing
and winding employed, in 1912, over
1,500 persons in the six Mohawk valley
counties.

The packing of food products, in-
cluding canned goods, employed over
1,500 operatives, in the six Mohawk
valley counties in 1912. Over 1,100 of
these were hands employed in factories
in Oneida county, over 200 in Canajo-
harie, Montgomery county, and the
balance in several small factories else-
where.

Clothing, millinery, etc., manufac-
tures, in 1912, employed over 1,700 per-

Broom factories, in 1912, in the six
Mohawk valley counties, employed
over 900 operatives. Broom corn grow-
ing was at one time an important fea-
ture of valley agriculture, but has been
entirely discontinued for about twenty
years. Broom malting machinery and
broom appliances are also made in the
valley. Amsterdam was the center of
Mohawk valley broom making, over
800 hands being there employed in 1912.

APPENDIX

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

The editor of this worli regrets that
the greater part of the matter in this
Appendix could not be contained in the
main body of this book; a number of
causes prevented its insertion there.
This Appendix contains some of the
most interesting matter concerning the
history of our valley. In any future
edition of this work the following pages
will be put in their proper place in the
main body of this book. The following
series and chapter headings relate to
similar ones in the major portion of
the work. That is the Appendix chap-
ter numbers indicate the chapter to
which its matter properly belongs in
the main body of the book. The editor
of this work suggests the main chap-
ters be read first and that the reader
then turn to the Appendix and read the
added matter relative to each chapter
herein contained.

SERIES I.

CHAPTER I.

The Mohawks and Six Nations — The
Iroquoian Tribes of North America —
The Iroquois Legend of Hiiawatha.
With the continued publication of
this work, in weekly newspaper form,
it has grown from a study dealing with
a section of the middle Mohawk val-
ley into a general historical review of
life along the Mohawk river. It is
therefore deemed best by the editor to
add the following general sketch of the
Mohawk Indians and of the Five Na-
tions or later Six Nations (also called
the Iroquois confederacy), of which the
Mohawks were a part. The Five
Nations formed themselves only a
part (although the most powerful) of a
great family of Indian tribes which is

called the Iroquoian. The life, cus-
toms, wars and legends of the Five
Nations were common to all the five
tribes, including of course the Mo-
hawks. Therefore the life and story of
the Mohawk tribe forms most interest-
ing reading to the valley people of the
present. However, it is a most volumi-
nous subject, and the reader is referred
to works dealing especially with the
Iroquois. In these pages the story of
the Mohawks is interwoven with that
of the white peoples of the valley. The
following general sketch and the great
legend of the Iroquois, Hiawatha, is
given in the following pages and will
be found of interest.

The Delawares have a legend that
their remote ancestors and those of the
Iroquois originally formed one tribe
long ages ago, which, through the cen-
turies, gradually worked their way
from westward of the Rocky moun-
tains to east of the Alleghanies, the
two peoples eventually separating into
two nations.

The Mohawk valley and the six Mo-
hawk valley counties formed the home
of two of the tribes of the Iroquois
league — the Mohawks in the eastern
half and the Oneidas mostly in Oneida
county.

The Mohawks (also formerly written
Mohocs) are commonly regarded by
historians as among the most power-
ful and intelligent of our savage abori-
gines; of good stature and athletic
frames, naturally warlike and brave,
they possessed in large measure all the
qualities making up the savage's high-
est type of man. Simms says the word
Mohawk comes from an Indian word
meaning "muskrat" and the river was
so called because of the numerous
muskrats which lived in its banks. In

342

APPENDIX

the eighteenth century the country of
the Mohawks extended from the mouth
of their river westward to about the
present location of Frankfort. West of
that was the country of the Oneidas
extending westward to the Onondaga
country. The Oneidas were mostly lo-
cated in the county of that name, their
chief castle being on Oneida creek, the
western boundary of Oneida county,
about six miles from where it empties
into Oneida lake.

From a historical address delivered
by Percy M. Van Epps of Glenville,
Schenectady county, in 1913, at a re-
union of the Rockefeller family in Am-
sterdam:

Here in our valley we have with us
the handiwork and traces of several
different peoples. Not to speak at all
of certain forms of stone implements,
that by some have been called paleo-
lithic and assigned a great antiquity,
we come to a class of objects about
which we can speak with more cer-
tainty.

In the closing days or centuries of
the glacial period, when, due to some
unknown climatic change, the great
sheet of ice was melting and its south-
ern border was slowly creeping north-
ward, there came a time when the
ancient valley of the St. Lawrence, yet
blocked by the retreating glacier front,
held back its waters, causing for a
time the existence of a mammoth in-
terior lake, occupying not only the
present sites of Lake Erie and Lake
Ontario but of much additional terri-
tory. This ancient glacial lake is
known to scientists as Lake Iroquois.

For a time the Mohawk valley served
as an outlet for this lake or rather in-
terior sea [of fresh water]. It now ap-
pears certain that a race or tribe of
peoi)le followed closely the retreating
glacier front and lived for a time in
our valley, while yet it served as an
outlet for Lake Iroquois. It is very
likely that they were a people closely
reseml)ling the Eskimos, perhaps their
ancestors. The river at this period
flowed at a far higher level than at
present and the traces of this people
have all been found at high levels
along the sides of the valley, or on the
bluffs and hills above.

After the glacier and the fur clad
people had disappeared far to the
north, a new race came into the
valley, probably from the west. They
were probably predecessors of the In-
dians of colonial times, but the class
of relics left by this race differs greatly
from the Indian relics of later date.
Little is known about this people. * *
Next in order, as we interpret the rec-

ords, came the Mohicans or Eastern
Indians. They evidently occupied the
eastern end of our valley for a long
time and perhaps three-fourths of all
the surface relics found were left by
them.

The Mohawks came to this valley
for a permanent home, not until after
Jacques Cartier had made his memor-
able voyage up the St. Lawrence [in
1534]. Cartier found Mohawks liv-
ing at Hochlega, above the present site
of Montreal.

Some time after this date the Mo-
hav/ks had a bloody battle with an Al-
gonquin nation and were whipped and
well nigh exterminated. The remnant
fled southward through the wilderness
and sought shelter in three secluded
glens bordering our river. Here in
their fortified villages they lived until
they again became a sti'ong nation,
when, abandoning their forest homes
they built their long houses on the very
banks of the Mohawk. This happened
.iust prior to the arrival of the Dutch
in our valley in 1623-30. [Indian Hill,
near Fort Plain, Montgomery county, is
supposed to be the site of one of these
three castles referred to.]

The Mohicans disputed the Mo-
hawks' claims to the valley and in 1669,
despite the strong protest of the En-
glish, sent an expedition against them
from Massachusetts. A battle was
fought below Amsterdam, and, in the
second day's fight (which occurred at
the foot of a steep hill at Hoffmans
called Towereune), the Mohicans were
utterly routed with many of their num-
ber killed, among whom was their
chief, Chic-a-tau-bet.

Beers's History says:

It is difficult to locate the sites of the
Mohawk villages, designated castles, a
term which implied places furnished
with palisades or some other protec-
tion that distinguished them from
more migratory and less defensil)le
villages. At an early day these Indians
built their huts near together, the bet-
ter to resist the invading foe. Great
danger from an enemy, however, some-
times compelled a migration of the
camp, or convenience of hunting and
fishing dictated it. The Mohawks once
had a strong castle nearly four miles
south of Fort Plain, in a well-chosen
position on an elevated tongue of land
between two streams, called Indian
Hill [See Chap. XV., Series III., P. 301
of this work]. This plateau presents,
on the west toward the Otsquene, an
impracticable bluff. The northern de-
clivity of the hill is more gentle, and
thirty or forty rods ))e]ow its termina-
tion the stream mentioned [the Ots-
quene] empties into the Otsquago.
Upon the hillside the entrance of the
castle may still Ije traced, as the ground
has never been cultivated. The relics

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

343

found here, including fragments of pot-
tery, bones, bone implements, fresh
water clam shells, etc., indicate that
the place was probably early and long
one of the chief strongholds of the
tribe. It is believed that the occu-
pancy of this site should be dated more
than 250 years ago. The Mohawks also
had a castle within the present limits
of Fort Plain, at the termination of the
high ground on the east side of the
Otsquago, now called Prospect Hill.
The site ^vas occupied much later than
the other, as shown by the discovery of
rings, wampum shells, etc., introduced
by the Jesuits or others of the first
white men who ventured into the val-
ley. The position of this village was
also well chosen for defence and ob-
servation. It is said to have been call-
ed by the Indian Ta-ragh-jo-rees—
"Healthy Place." [This village is called
Osquage in the Dutch account of 1034.
This may have been the name of the
village while Taraghjorees was the
name of the hill on which it stood.
Taraghjorees has been translated "hill
of health."]

For a description of some of the In-
dian villages along the Mohawk in
1634, see the account of Dutch travelers
of that date in Chap. I., Series I. of this
work. This book does not pretend to
place the sites of Mohawk villages in
the valley. It is a much discussed
question. In this work authorities are
quoted, which seem to the editor rea-
sonable and logical.

It has been previously noted that,
practically throughout the eighteenth
century, the Mohawks had but two
principal towns or castles along our
river — one at Dyiondarogon (or Tion-
onderoga) at Fort Hunter, Montgomery
county, and the other at Canajoharie
or Fort Canajoharie (after the erection
of a fortification there in 1755), at
present Indian Castle in the town of
Danube, Herkimer county. Canajo-
harie was called the upper and Dyion-
darogon the lower Mohawk castle.

Dyiondarogon or Tionderoga is also
written Icanderoga and Teondeloga. It
is said the meaning of one (or all) of
these words is "two streams coming to-
gether," referring to the junction of
the Schoharie with the Mohawk at
present Fort Hunter, near which this
Mohawk palisaded village or lower
"castle" was located. Canajoharie, the
name of the upper "castle" has been
(as before mentioned) translated by

Brant as meaning "the pot that washes
itself," referring to that natural curi-
osity, the great pothole at the end of
the gorge of Canajoharie creek in Can-
ajoharie village. The Mohawks gave
the name Canajoharie to the whole
river country between the Noses and
Little Falls,, as before stated, and the
Canajoharie village and fort, at pres-
ent Indian Castle, took its name from
this Indian district.

Because it was the most warlike
tribe of the Six Nations or the Iroquois
confederacy, the war chief of the
league was selected from the Mohawk
nation. The council fire was kept by
the central tribe, the Onondagas. The
Five Nations numbered about 13,000 at
the advent of the Dutch in 1609, with
over 2,000 warriors.

The following relative to the Iro-
quoian Indians (of which the Six Na-
tions were a part), is largely taken or
condensed from an article on the sub-
ject by J. N. B. Hewitt in Appleton's
Encyclopedia:

The Indians of the Six Nations or
the Iroquois confederacy were a branch
of the Iroquoian family of red men.
perhaps the most important of the In-
dian families of tribes in North Amer-
ica. As before stated the Iroquois con-
federacy or Six Nations of the eigh-
teenth century was composed of the
Mohawks, Oneidas, Tuscaroras, Onon-
dagas, Cayugas and Senecas, in the
order named, from east to west. The
Mohawks occupied the valley of the
river to which they gave their name.
The word Iroquois is said to mean in
Algonquin "real, natural snakes" — an
application which seemed natural to
the Algonquin tribes who were deadly
enemies of the Iroquois.

The Iroquois of the Six Nations
called themselves the Aguinoshioni or
Konoshioni, signifying cabin makers or
people of the Long House. This "Long
House" became figurative of their po-
litical organization, extending from the
shores of Lake Erie to the banks of the
Hudson. The Mohawks kept the "east-
ern door" the Senecas the "western
door."

The chief tribes of the Iroquoian In-
dians were the Hurons, Wyandots,
Tionontates (or Tobacco nation), the
Attiewendaronk (or Neuter nation),
the Bries or Cat (Raccoon) nation, the
Canastogas (or Susquehannocks), the
Tceroki (Cherokee) nation,, the Notto-
ways and the Six Nations or the Iro-
quois confederacy — Mohawks (or Cani-
engas), Oneidas, Tuscaroras, Onon-

344

APPENDIX

dagas, Cayugas and Senecas. These
latter are generally termed the Iro-
quois. [All these Iroquoian Indians
were probably descendants of one or-
iginal tribe, which later became many
times subdivided. The Six Nations
probably formed one tribe at one time,
which later became divided into the
six tribes or nations.]

The Iroquoian Indians, before the
coming of the white man, occupied
New York, Pennsylvania, the region
about Lake Erie, north of Lake On-
tario and the St. Lawrence valley.
Others of the kindred tribes of the Iro-
quoian family lived in two areas in the
present southern states — one in the
eastern Carolinas, and the other partly
in the western Carolinas, and parts
of the states of Georgia, Alabama,
Tennessee, Kentucky and the Vir-
ginias. (See map of the "Linguistic
Stocks of American Indians North of
Mexico," Vol. VI., Appleton's Enclo-
pedia.)

The Huron or Wyandot tribe lived
about Lake Simcoe and the St. Law-
rence; the Tionontates (or Tobacco na-
tion), west of Lake Ontario and south
of the Hurons and in New York; the
Eries or Cat (Raccoon) nation, south
of Lake Erie; the Wenrohronan, south-
east of the Eries in Pennsylvania; the
Canastogas (or Susquehannocks), and
their allies, along the Susquehanna;
and the Iroquois or Five Nations in
Central New York.

The western southern Iroquoian
area was occupied by the Tceroki
(Chcrokees) and the eastern southern
Iroquoian area was the home of the
Tuskaroras, the Nottoways and other
kindred but unimportant tribes. Many
of the tribes mentioned, although of
kindred blood, were deadly enemies
and waged a constant war against
each other.

Says Hewitt regarding Iroquoian
characteristics:

The marriage tie was not a bond of
strength, being broken for the good or
the convenience of the persons or
families concerned. * * * The line
of descent was in the female, and the
children were virtually the property of
the clan rather than of the family,
which was only a subdivision of the
clan.

In the Iroquoian pantheon the gods
of the sky, the sun, the moon and
earth, the stars, thunder and lightning,
storm and wind., fire and of dreams
(the mouthpiece of the sky god) were
the chief and most influential. The
treatment of disease and wounds was
in the hands of the shamans [medi-
cine men] mainly.

Long-houses of liark and saplings
for dwellings, and caches of riven
pieces of timber for the storage of their
[maize], vegetables, roots, squashes

and gourds, were Ituilt by these peo-
ple. They constructed palisades
around their chief towns or \illages.
The tillage of the land was carried on
mainly by the women and girls, but
lalior was not considered degrading.
They raised tobacco and many kinds
of vegetables, including a kind of po-
tato. They also manufactured sugar
and syrup from the sap of the maple
tree, and it Vv'as from them that the
white people learned the process of this
manufacture.

Their government was in the hands
of chiefs divided into two classes, one
of each class belonging to every clan.
These chiefs were nominated by the
suffrages of the women of the clan to
which they belonged by birth or adop-
tion, but such nomination had to be
Ijassed upon by the tribal, and among
the Iroquois (Five Nations) by the
federal council as well. The chiefs held
office for life unless deposed for cause.
In statecraft the Iroquois were politic
and crafty but, magnanimous to cap-
tives [provided they were spared from
torture]. Their cunning and caution
were proverlnal among their Indian
neighbors. The adoption of captives
into full citizenship with the free Iro-
nuois, to replace those who had been
lost in battle or by capture, was a
marked policy of the Iroquois league;
and it was by means of these adopted
aliens imder the discipline of Iro-
quoian institutions and under the guid-
ance of Iroquoian commanders, that
the confederacy was able to complete
its war-parties, depleted by almost in-
cessant warfare, and to hold high its
name and power for so long a period.
During the long period of their inter-
course with the Dutch and English
colonists before the Revolution, these
Indians were remarkably noted for
their good faith, when once their word
was given.

Woman's position was high among
the Iroquois. Property was vested in
them and they could command cessa-
tion of war. They were the suffrage
sex, as previously mentioned. The
general council of the Five Nations
consisted of two delegates from the
Senecas, the most numerous tribe, and
one each from the Mohawks, Oneidas,
Onondagas, and Cayugas.

In the foregoing the word "Iro-
quoian" refers to the entire North Am-
erican Indian family, of many tribes as
stated but of similar blood. The word
Iroquois has been applied to that par-
ticular New York state confederation
of these people known first as the Five
Nations and after 1722, as the Six Na-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

345

tions. It is to this people, of which the
Mohawks formed a part, that refer-
ence is made when the Iroquois are
mentioned in the following lines:

Notwithstanding- all their wars,
which were chiefly undertaken to
maintain national independence, there
is to be found, among the nobler traits
of the Iroquois, a strong love for peace,
a great regard for law and custom, a
reverent homage paid to ancestral
greatness, a lively sentiment of the
brotherhood of man, and strong social
and domestic affections.

The league was originally designed
to be a permanent central government,
rather than a temporary union of peo-
ples and common interests. •

Local matters concerning individual
tribes were to be determined, as for-
merly, by the local council, but after
that the council was to be guided by
the principles of the federal consti-
tution. The federal government was
lodged in the hands of fifty chiefs of
the highest order, divided unequally
among the tribes, who were also mem-
bers of the tribal council of the tribe
to which they belonged. The tenure of
oflice of these chiefs was for life, unless
deposed for cause, and their official
acts in all things was acknowledged
throughout the entire confederacy.
One of the distinctive features of this
league was the avowed purpose of its
founders to abolish war and murder by
the peaceful expansion of the confed-
eracy so as to induce all the tribes of
men to adopt its principles and to
agree to live under its institutions;
notwithstanding this, the history of the
league is one of almost incessant war-
fare.

The first known act of the league
from the valley of the St. Lawrence,
the direct result of which was to em-
broil the [Iroquois] confederates with
the Huron tribes living about Lake
Simcoe, to whom the fugitives from
the St. Lawrence had fled for protec-
tion.

In 1534 Cartier met a tribe of Iro-
quoian stock, living on the Bay of
Gaspe. and his is the first historic
mention of this most interesting Indian
people. Before the year 1600, the Five
Nations had waged war with all
the Algonquian tribes whose lands
were coterminous with those from
which the Hurons had been expelled.
In 1622 this struggle was at its height.
In the year 1609, Champlain, espousing
this quarrel of the Hurons and Algon-
quians', marched with them and several
Frenchmen against the Iroquois and
succeeded in defeating a party of these
[probably Mohawks] on the banks of
Lake Champlain. The confederacy
never forgave the French, and the Iro-
quois opposition thus aroused eventu-
ally cost France her North American

possessions. In 1615, Champlain, who
had invaded the Iroquois country, was
defeated in the Onondaga section, and,
wounded himself, was driven back to
Canada.

The wars of the Iroquois to maintain
independence continued with a few
short intervals, until 1649, when the
Iroquois drove from their Simcoe coun-
try the remnants of the Huron tribes
whom they had not killed or taken into
captivity. The victorious Iroquois
then began a war with the Neuter na-
tion, which culminated in 1651 in the
utter dispersion of this people by death
or capture. In the meantime the To-
bacco nation had been compelled to flee
to the region about Lake Superior to
seek an asylum among Algonquin
tribes. The Fries or Cat (Raccoon)
nation also were almost annihilated
and the survivors were forced to aban-
don their country in 1655. In 1657 a
long and bloody war broke out between
the Iroquois and the Canestogas and,
with short cessation, lasted until the
year 1676, when the Iroquois succeeded
in dispersing the remnants of this
brave and warlike people. In the south
the Iroquois were at times engaged in
war with the Tceroki [Cherokees],
their hereditary enemies, and a peo-
ple of their own lineage [as were also
many of the foes of the Iroquois with
whom they waged warfare]. The Iro-
quois again were almost constantly at
war with their Algonquian and other
neighbors, east, west, north and south
of them. The Abenakis, Mohegans,
Ojibwas, Etchemins. Montagnais, Del-
awares, Illinois, Miamis, Nanticokes,
Shawnees, Tuteloes, Saponj^s, Catabas
and various other tribes, at one time
and another, felt the displeasure of the
Iroquois. [The struggle between the
Mohicans and Mohawks, ending with
the victory of the Mohawks, in a great
two day battle in 1669 at Towereune,
near Hoffmans, Schenectady county,
has been previously mentioned.] In
these same wars the Iroquois carried
out their policy of adopting their cap-
tives by tribes, clans and by individ-
uals; but it is also true that they
burned at the stake many of their pris-
oners to intimidate their enemies, but
mainly as a sacrifice to the god of war.
Notwithstanding that the successful
career of the Iroquois places them, in-
tellectually and physically, among the
highest developed people on the conti-
nent, it is equally true that other
causes contributed materially to give
them the vast power and influence they
acquired over their neighbors during
the century and a half ending with
their defeat in 1779 by Gen. Sullivan
[and Gen. Clinton and their American
forces at Elmira]. The chief of these
is the fact that the Dutch, finding that
the Iroquois preferred guns and pow-
der to other merchandise, began selling

346

APPENDIX

firearms and ammunition to the Iro-
quois.

The Tuscaroras, in attempting to re-
sist the encroachments of the white
settlers of the Carolinas, became en-
gaged in a war with those pioneers.
The red men were defeated and came
and found homes among the Iroquois
in 1714. The Five Nations allowed the
Tuscaroras to settle on lands lying on
the affluents of the Susquehanna and
a few probably joined themselves at
this time to particular tribes of the
Five Nations. After 1722 the Five Na-
tions became called the Six Nations,
the Tuscaroras being the sixth tribe of
the confederacy.

There were white settlers at Schen-
ectady in the Mohawk country as early
as 1642 and probably before. In 1661
Schenectady was officially settled by
Dutch colonists on land bought from
the Mohawks. By 1700 the valley of
the Mohawk was occupied by white
pioneers from the mouth of its river
to Hoffmans, a distance of nearly
thirty miles. The Mohawks were gen-
erally kind to these Dutch settlers and
several marriages between the two
races occurred. Some of the most
prominent early men of the valley had
Mohawk blood in their veins. In 1689
Hendrick Frey settled at Palatine
Bridge on lands he purchased from the
Mohawks. In 1713 Palatine Germans
located along the Schoharie and on
the Mohawk on lands bought or given
them by the valley Indians. It is said
these Schoharie settlers would have
perished had not the Indians provided
them with food and shelter. About
this time the Mohawks began to lose
their lands, through fraudulent pur-
chases and grants by the Crown to
provincial favorites and schemers.
Many of the grants were proper and
just but even more were doubtless
crooked and unjustly deprived the val-
ley Indians of their lands. The tribe
had become weakened by alcohol and
the diseases brought in by the white
settlers. The leading men of the Mo-
hawks fought the traffic in liquor and
the Dutch-Mohawk council at Caugh-
nawaga, held in 1659, had the suppres-
sion of the sale of spirits among the
red men as one of its objects. In one
winter of the seventeenth century it is
said 1,000 Mohawks died of smallpox

which originated among the Dutch at
Fort Orange. With these diseases and
excesses came a degeneracy of the
Mohawk character and physique.

Among the more important events
affecting the Mohawks, which trans-
pired in the valley from the beginning
of the eighteenth century to the com-
mencement of the French and Indian
war, were the following: In 1709 four
Mohawk chiefs, representing the Iro-
quois league, accompanied Col. Peter
Schuyler to England, with the object
of cementing the Iroquois-English al-
liance. King Hendrick, of the upper
or Canajoharie Castle, was one of
these. In 1738 William Johnson set-
tled near present Amsterdam. He was
the greatest white friend the Mohawks
ever had, from 1738 until his death in
1774, and always fought the liquor
traffic among them. About 1745 he
was made a chief of the Mohawks by
that tribe. (See Chronology of Sir
William Johnson's life in Mohawk
Valley Chronology.)

In 1754 (then Col.) Johnson attended
that momentous council of representa-
tives from some of the colonies, which
met at Albany to discuss plans for
colonial defense against the French,
and which is said to have been the
initial step in the formation of the
United States. Johnson in full Indian
regalia was present with a party of
Mohawks and other Iroquois. King
Hendrick here made a celebrated
speech (quotations from which are
made in Chap. II., Series I.) and which
shows him a great orator as well as a
great Iroquois character. Hendrick
was killed while leading a party of
Mohawks in the battle of Lake George,
which the English, under Gen. John-
so 's leadership, won from the French.

The part the Iroquois played in
the wars between France and England
in America, their general resistance to
France (particularly in the case of the
Mohawks) and their course and part in
the Revolution are told in the body of
this book and in the Mohawk Valley
Chronology and in the Mohawk Valley
Military Statistics in the appendix of
this work. It was almost entirely the
powerful influence of Sir William

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

347

Johnson, the colonial Indian superin-
tendent for the British crown, that
kept the Iroquois sided with the En-
glish cause against the French in the
dread Seven Years War which made
all North America an English-speak-
mg empire, as it is today in the twC
political divisions of the United States
and Canada.

In 1768 at a council held at Fort
Stanwix the Iroquois deeded a consid-
erable part of their lands to the British
Crown. In 1776 the greater part of the
Mohawks left the valley for Canada,
with Col. Guy Johnson, superintendent
of Indian affairs. They fought under
the British colors during the Revolu-
tion and their savage record of un-
speakable barbarity is written in these
pages. In their cruel and vile methods
of guerilla warfare they were equalled
by the Tories who frequently painted
themselves as red men and were called
blue-eyed Indians. The Mohawks, On-
ondagas, Cayugas and Senecas sided
with England in the Revolution, while
the Oneidas and part of the Tuscaroras
fought on the side of the colonists.
The Oneidas lived during the war at
Fort Hunter and Schenectady and
formed a scouting force of great ser-
vice in American valley military opera-
tions. Most accounts say it was an
Oneida who shot, killed and scalped
the infamous Walter Butler at the bat-
tle of Butler's Ford on West Canada
creek in 1781. Simms, however, says
it was a friendly Mohawk. In 1784 and
1788 councils between the Iroquois and
New York state authorities were held
at Fort Stanwix. On account of their
fight against the colonists the Iroquois's
title to their lands was extinguished
and their country was thrown open for
settlement. Reservations for the Six
Nations were made in different parts
of the state. The Iroquois threatened
war but wiser counsel prevailed and
the red men accepted the inevitable.
The Mohawks and many of the other
tribes settled in Canada on lands
granted them by the Crown.

The Mohawk tribe of the eighteenth
century produced two great Indian
chiefs — King Hendrick and Joseph
Brant. The eminent historian, John

Fiske, calls Joseph Brant the most re-
markable Indian in our history. His
clever sister, Molly Brant, who was the
second wife of Sir William Johnson,
exemplified the possibilities of the fem-
inine Indian character. All three of
these interesting Mohawks were resi-
dents, a large part of their lives, of
Canajoharie or Fort Canajoharie (also
called Fort Hendrick) at present Indian
Castle in the town of Danube, Herki-
mer county.

As before stated, it is said that the
successful example of the Iroquois re-
public had a great influence with the
founders of the United States of Am-
erica in the formation of our own
greater republic

A few friendly Mohawks and other
Indians remained in the valley after
the war but by 1850 probably the last
of these remnants of a once powerful
race in the valley had died out or
moved away with the exception of
what Oneidas may have been then re-
maining in Oneida county.

Says Appleton's Encyclopedia:

The tribes and portions of tribes
that sided with Great Britain [in the
Revolution] are now situated on the
Grand river, Canada, on lands granted
them by the crown. These consist of
Mohawks, Cayugas, Oneidas, Onon-
dagas, Senecas and Tuscaroras, who
maintain nearly unchanged their an-
cient form of government under the
protection of the British government.
They hold their lands by patents, indi-
vidually. Their farms are well culti-
vated, and their industry is markedly
in contrast with that of some of their
brethren in New York state. They
have a flourishing agricultural society
which holds semi-annual sessions, and
their exhibits of produce and stock
fully equal, and in some instances sur-
pass, those of the towns surrounding
them. The fostering care of the Ca-
nadian government is directed wisely
for their advancement.

Other reservation residences of the
Six Nations are as follows: Oneidas,
south of Oneida, New York, and at
Green Bay, Wisconsin; these are said
to be the most prosperous of the Six
Nations living in the United States
today (1914); Onondagas, south of
Syracuse, New York; Senecas in New
York at Cattaraugus, Allegany, Tona-
wanda; Tuscaroras in Niagara county.
New York, who are said to be "as a

348

APPENDIX

whole, more enlightened and better
educated than any other tribe in the
state, and are self supporting. Their
farms are fairly well tilled and they
have many fine orchards."

The total number of Iroquoian
Indian tribes or all peoples of Iro-
quoian blood in the United States and
Canada in 1910 may be estimated at
close to 60,000, making them the most
numerous Indian family of North Am-
erica. This includes the Cherokees,
who live in the eastern part of Okla-
homa, in what was formerly the Indian
territory, to which they emigrated
early in the nineteenth century. Ap-
pleton's says "they are the most highly
developed and enlightened North Am-
erican Indians." They numbered 42,000
in 1910. The Cherokees are said to be
the richest tribe of people in the world.
In 1910 New York had 6,029 Indians,
almost entirely Iroquois, on its differ-
ent reservations.

The 1890 population of the Six Na-
tions, in both the United States and
Canada, was as follows: Mohawks,
6,656; Oneidas, 3,129; Senecas, 3,055;
Cayugas, 1,301; "Onondagas, 890'; Tus-
caroras, 733. Total, 15,764.

With the Iroquois, and their tribes
of Mohawks, Oneidas, Tuscaroras, On-
ondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, is as-
sociated the greatest legend of the
North American continent, one of the
greatest also of world myths — the story
of Hiawatha.

The legend of Hiawatha belongs as
much to the Mohawks as to the Onon-
dagas, although the scene of Hiawa-
tha's life is at Lake Teonto, or Cross
lake, and at Onondaga lake. Cross
lake lies a mile or two north of the
Seneca river into which it flows,
about fifteen miles west of Syracuse.
It lies in the watershed of tJie Os-
wego river and forms part of the bor-
der line between Onondaga and Cay-
uga counties and is about four or five
miles long by about a mile in width.
It should bear the name Teonto instead
of Cross lake. Onondaga lake, which
marks the final scene of Hiawatha's
life, is at Syracuse.

The Hiawatha poem of Longfel-

low, derived from the Iroquois legend,
is a beautiful heroic epic, embodying
not only the essence of ideal Indian
life but of human life as well. While
it varies markedly from the Iroquois
legend it contains the same basic ele-
ments. The story of a divine redeemer
of humanity living among his chosen
people (as did Hiawatha) is common
to all the higher races of mankind, the
world over, as is also the idea of sac-
rifice, for humanity's benefit, which is
part of the Iroquois legend as it is of
so many others. Here we have also
the return to his divine home by the
redeemer as the final scene of his
earthly life. Doubtless there are, in
the legend of Hiawatha, many fun-
damental truths concerning the history
of the Iroquois.

The Iroquois of the Six Nations be-
lieved they sprang from the earth it-
self— a common tradition among the
primitive peoples. Their legends say:

In the remote ages the Iroquois had
been confined under a mountain near
the falls of the Osh-wa-kee or Oswego
river, whence they were released by
Tharonhyjagon, the Holder of the
Heavens. Bidding them go forth to
the east, he guided them to the valley
of the Mohawk and, following its
stream, they reached the Hudson
which some of them descended to the
sea. Retracing their steps toward the
west they originated in their order and
position the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onon-
dagas, Cayugas, Senecas and Tuscar-
oras— six nations — but the Tuscaroras
wandered away to the south and set-
tled on the Cantano or Neuse river in
North Carolina, thus reducing the
number to five nations. Each of the
tribes thus originated was independent
of the others and they warred with
each other as well as with the sur-
rounding tribes. Tharonhyjagon still
remained with the tribes; gave them
seeds of various kinds, with the pro-
per knowledge for planting them;
taught them how to kill and roast
game; made the forests free to all the
tribes to hunt, and removed obstruc-
tions from the streams. After this he
laid aside his divine character and re-
solved to live with the Onondagas that
he might exemplify the maxims he
taught. For this purpose he selected a
handsome spot of ground on the south-
ern banks of the lake called Teonto,
being the sheet of water now known
as Cross lake. Here he Ijuilt a cabin
and took a wife of the Onondagas, by
whom he had an only daughter, whom
he tenderly loved and most kindly and

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

349

carefully treated and instructed. The
excellence of his character and his
great sagacity and good counsels led
the people to view him with venera-
tion and they gave him the name of
Hi-a-wat-ha, signifying a very wise
man. From all quarters people came
to him for advice and, in this manner,
all power came naturally in his hands,
and he was regarded as the first chief
in all the land. Under his teachings
the Onondagas became the first among
all the original clans. They were the
wisest counselors, the best hunters,
and the bravest warriors. Hence the
Onondagas were early noted among all
the tribes for their pre-eminence.

The balance of the story of Hiawatha
is from an account by Abraham Le
Port, an Onondaga chief and a gradu-
ate of Geneva college. He calls Lake
Teonto, or Cross lake, Lake Tioto.
Many Indian names have several var-
iations of pronounciation and spelling.

On the banks of Tioto, or Cross lake,
resided an eminent man who bore the
name of Hiawatha, or the Wise Man.

This name was given him, as its
meaning indicates, on account of his
great wisdom in council and power in
war. Hiawatha was of high and mys-
terious origin. He had a canoe which
would move without paddles, obedient
to his will, and which he kept with
great care and never used except when
he attended the general council of the
tribes. It was from Hiawatha the peo-
ple learned to raise corn and beans;
through his instructions they were en-
abled to remove obstructions from the
water courses and clear their fishing
grounds; and by him they were helped
to get the mastery over the great mon-
sters which overran the country. The
people listened to him with ever in-
creasing delight; and he gave them
wise laws and maxims from the Great
Spirit, for he had been second to him
only in power previous to his taking
up his dwelling with mankind.

Having selected the Onondagas for
his tribe, years passed away in pros-
perity; the Onondagas assumed an
elevated rank for their wisdom and
learning, among the other tribes, and
there was not one of these which did
not yield its assent to their superior
privilege of lighting the council-fire.

But in the midst of the high tide of
their prosperity, suddenly there arose
a great alarm at the invasion of a fer-
ocious band of warriors from the North
of the Great Lakes; and as these bands
advanced, an indiscriminate slaughter
was made of men, women and children.
Destruction fell upon all alike.

The public alarm was great; and
Hiawatha advised them not to waste
their efforts in a desultory manner, but

to call a council of all the tribes that
could be gathered together, from the
East to the West; and, at the same
time, he appointed a meeting to take
place on an eminence on the banks of
the Onondaga lake. There, according-
ly, the chief men assembled, while the
occasion brought together a vast mul-
titude of men, women and children,
who were in expectation of some mar-
vellous deliverance.

Three days elapsed and Hiawatha
did not appear. The multitude began
to fear that he was not coming, and
messengers were despatched for him
to Tioto, who found him depressed
with a presentment that evil would
follow his attendance. These fears
were overruled by the eager persua-
sions of the messengers; and Hia-
watha, taking his daughter with him,
put his wonderful canoe in its ele-
ment and set out for the council. The
grand assemblage that was to avert
the threatened danger appeared quick-
ly in sight, as he moved rapidly along
in his magic canoe; and when the peo-
ple saw him, they sent up loud shouts
of welcome until the venerated man
landed. A steep ascent led up the*
banks of the lake to the place occu-
pied by the council; and, as he walked
up, a loud whirring sound was heard
above, as if caused by some rushing
current of air. Instantly, the eyes of
all were directed upward to the sky,
where was seen a dark spot, something
like a small cloud, descending rapidly,
and as it approached, enlarging in its
size and increasing in velocity. Ter-
ror and alarm filled the minds of the
multitude and they scattered in con-
fusion. But as soon as he had gained
the eminence, Hiawatha stood still,
causing his daughter to do the same —
deeming it cowardly to fly, and impos-
sible, if it was attempted, to divert the
designs of the Great Spirit. The de-
scending object now assumed a more
definite aspect; and, as it came nearer,
revealed the shape of a gigantic white
bird, with wide-extended and pointed
wings. This bird came down with
ever increasing velocity, until, with a
mighty swoop, it dropped upon the girl,
crushing her at once to the earth.

The fixed face of Hiawatha alone in-
dicated his consciousness of his daugh-
ter's death; while in silence he signall-
ed to the warriors, who had stood
watching the event in speechless con-
sternation. One after the other stepped
up to the prostrate bird, which was
killed by its violent fall, and selecting
a feather from its snow-white plum-
age, deco^'ated himself therewith.

But now a new affliction fell upon
Hiawatha; for, on removing the car-
cass of the bird, not a trace could be
discovered of his daughter. Her body
had vanished from the earth. Shades

350

APPENDIX

of anguish contracted the dark face of
Hiawatha. He stood apart in voice-
less grief. No word was spolcen. His
people waited in silence, until at length
arousing himself, he turned to them
and walked in calm dignity to the head
of the council.

The first day he listened with atten-
tive gravity to the plans of the differ-
ent speakers; on the next day he arose
and said: "My friends and brothers;
you are members of many tribes, and
have come from a great distance. We
have come to promote the common in-
terest, and our mutual safety. How
shall it be accomplished? To oppose
these Northern hordes in tribes singly,
while we are at variance often with
each other, is impossible. By uniting
in a common band of brotherhood we
may hope to succeed. Let this be done,
and we shall drive the enemy from our
land. Listen to me by tribes. You, the
Mohawks, who are sitting under the
shadow of the great tree, whose
branches spread wide around, and
whose roots sink deep into the earth,
shall be the first nation, because you
are warlike and mighty. You, the
Oneidas, who recline your bodies
against the everlasting stone that can-
not be moved, shall be the second na-
tion, because you always give wise
counsel. You, the Onondagas, who
have your habitation at the foot of the
great hills, and are overshadowed by
their crags, shall be the third nation,
because you are greatly gifted in
speech. You, the Senecas, whose
dwelling is in the dark forest, and
whose home is all over the land, shall
be the fourth nation, because of your
superior cunning in hunting. And you,
the Cayugas, the people who live in
the open country and possess much
wisdom, shall be the fifth nation, be-
cause you understand better the art of
raising corn and beans, and making
lodges. Unite, ye five nations, and
have one common interest, and no foe
shall disturb and subdue you. You,
the people who are the feeble bushes,
and you who are a fishing people, may
place yourself under our protection,
and we will defend you. And you of
the South and West may do the same,
and we will protect you. We earnestly
desire the alliance and friendship of
you all. Brothers, if we unite in this
great bond, the Great Spirit will smile
• upon us, and we shall be free, pros-
perous and happy; but if we remain as
we are, we shall be subject to his
frown. We shall be enslaved, ruined,
perhaps annihilated. We may perish
under the war-storm, and our names
be no longer remembered by good men,
nor be repeated in the dance and song.
Brothers, those are the words of Hia-
watha. I have spoken. I am done."

The next day his plan of unison was
considered and adopted by the council.

after which Hiawatha again addressed

the people with wise words of counsel,
and at the close of this speech bade
them farewell; for he conceived that
his mission to the Iroquois was ac-
complished, and he might announce his
withdrawal to the skies. He then went
down to the shore, and assumed his
seat in his mystical canoe. Sweet
music was heard in the air as he seat-
ed himself; and while the wondering
multitude stood gazing at their beloved
chief, he was silently wafted from
sight, and they saw him no more. He
passed to the Isle of the Blessed, in-
habited by Owayneo [the Great Spirit]
and his manitos.

And they said, "Farewell forever!"
Said, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the forests, dark and lonely,
Moved through all their depths of

darkness.
Sighed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the waves upon the margin,
Rising, rippling on the pebbles.
Sobbed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the heron, the shuh-shu-gah.
From her haunts among the fen-lands,
Screamed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"

Thus departed Hiawatha,
Hiawatha the Beloved,
In the glory of the sunset.
In the purple mists of evening.
To the regions of the home-v/ind,
Of the northwest wind, Keewaydin,
To the Islands of the Blessed,
To the kingdom of Ponemah,
To the land of the Hereafter.
["The Song of Hiawatha," By H. W.

Longfellow.]

CHAPTER IL

The Six Mohawk Valley Counties and
the Mohawk Valley Considered as a
Historical and Geographical Unit —
Dutch Settlement and Influence in
the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys —
Importance of the Hudson Valley,
Geographical, Commercial, Industrial,
Agricultural, Social.
It is more than probable that the
historian of the future will no longer
seat himself on Boston Common, for
contemplation and meditation on the
history of the United States, but will
perch himself on some eminence over-
looking the Hudson or the Mohawk,
through which the march of empire has
taken its course westward. The Hud-
son and Mohawk valleys form a na-
tional road of commerce and a great
highway of American history; they
form a main artery of American life,
industry and transportation — perhaps

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

351

the main artery. So the first Euro-
peans who settled along these streams
take on an additional importance—
and this people was the Holland Dutch.

The Mohawk valley may be separated
for convenience into four general di-
visions— first, the upper valley, em-
bracing Oneida county; second, the
middle valley, including Herkimer,
Montgomery and Fulton counties;
third, the Schoharie valley; fourth, the
lower valley embracing Schenectady
and the parts of Saratoga and Albany
counties, abutting on the Mohawk.

The six Mohawk valley counties are
for statistical convenience taken to
represent the Mohawk valley, but they
do not include about fifteen miles of its
lower course. Also parts of the six
Mohawk valley counties are not in the
Mohawk valley as previously shown.
Also some ten other counties contain
portions of the Mohawk watershed,
those areas of the six counties not in
the valley and those areas of the
watershed located in other counties
t-bout balancing each other. At times
both the six Mohawk valley counties
and the lower Mohawk valley (includ-
ing the city of Cohoes and parts of
Saratoga and Albany counties) are in-
cluded in statistical totals in this work
under the title of the six Mohawk val-
ley counties and the Mohawk valley.
By far the greater part of the popula-
tion of the six Mohawk valley counties
and the Mohawk valley, is located close
to the Mohawk river itself, 80 per cent
probably living within 5 miles of the
river; so it is a very defined area of
population we are considering in Mo-
hawk valley subjects and history.

The following relates to the six Mo-
hawk valley counties and their consid-
eration as a historical whole, to the
first settlement of the Mohawk valley
by the Dutch at Schenectady and to
the Dutch and their influence, in the
Hudson valley, including the Mohawk,
and the United States at large.

The editor of this work believes the
history of counties will eventually be
considered according to their natural
geographical divisions rather than by
states. The growth of the United
States as a country can be viewed as

that of the Atlantic seaboard and its
valleys (including the Hudson and the
Mohawk), that of the Great Lakes
region, that of the Mississippi valley,
that of the plains region, the southwest
and the Pacific slope. Just so we must
study the development of the Mohawk
valley as a whole. The histories of the
six Mohawk valley counties can form
supplementary readings to this general
study.

The history and present day con-
sideration of the Mohawk valley must
embrace that of the six Mohawk valley
counties of Oneida, Herkimer, Mont-
gomery, Fulton, Schoharie and Schen-
ectady. This is because the Mohawk
valley is a real geographical division
and the counties are purely imaginary
demarcations of its area. Schenectady
should have as much, if not more, at-
tention paid its history as the other
counties. Because it was not included
in the old Tryon county it is fre-
quently left out of Mohawk valley his-
torical studies, and as a result errors
and a disjointed idea of valley history
ensue. As a consequence we have seen
a historical paper which claimed the
Palatines as the first settlers of the
Mohawk valley. The Dutch at Sche-
nectady were the first settlers along
the Mohawk and they had been here
present for fifty years or more before
the Palatine Germans arrived. One
hundred years before Stone Arabia (in
1713) was settled by Palatines two
Dutch traders had passed the Palatine
hills on their way to the Otsego coun-
try (in 1614).

The Holland Dutch settlers have not
been "written up" like the New Eng-
land or Virginia settlers. They prob-
ably numbered over half or two-thirds
of the 300,000 people in New York and
New Jersey in 1775 and their influence
in colonial and national life was con-
siderable and permanent. Holland in
the seventeenth century was the then
"United States" of Europe. Its people
are closely akin to the English in blood
and language and their civilization and
commerce were superior to that of
European nations, including Britain.
Civil and religious liberty and intel-
lectual tolerance prevailed in Holland

352

APPENDIX

and attracted the persecute! from
many lands — including Palatines and
Pilgrims. New York, in its early years,
similarly received those fleeing from
the fanatical religious persecutions of
New England. Holland of the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries possessed
great political and military leaders,
statesmen, teachers, philosophers, ar-
tists and writers. It was practically
the birthplace of modern art and, al-
though it is little known, north Euro-
pean art here developed, years before
that of Italy. Holland of those days
was the home of large industries, a
great merchant marine, a wonderful
world commerce and great merchants.

The Dutch settlers of New York and
New Jersey strongly influenced the life
of our nation, because they were
largely located in the Hudson valley
(of which the Mohawk forms a part)
and came in touch with the moving
population of the colonies and the later
United States. Our American Christ-
mas observance and our American po-
litical, religious and intellectual toler-
ance are descended from those de-
scendants of the Batavii whom Caesar
could scarce conquer. People who
aie uninformed on the subject, must
remember that this hardy race was
called "Low Dutch," simply because of
the geographical position of Holland.
Caesar found their ancestors dwelling
in the marshes of the lowlands border-
ing the North Sea. Little Holland's
fight against mighty Spain was one of
the most heroic struggles in history
and dwarfs our own Revolutionary
war. Dutch success ensured political
and religious liberty and modern Eu-
ropean and American civilization.

At the time of the Revolution the
Dutch element was preponderant in
the Hudson valley and in the eastern
Mohawk valley about Schenectady and
it extended to all parts of the settled
Mohawk valley. Among men of this
race we find Gansevoort, Van Schaick,
Van Benschoten, Visscher, Schuyler
and other Revolutionary first-rate
fighters, Van Buren, the president, Los-
sing, the great historian of New York
state, Vanderlyn, the painter, and
many other political and intellectual

leaders of early New York. Even the

best pre-Revolutionary pugilist, in the

Mohawk valley, was Van Loan, the
mighty Schoharie Dutchman.

Later came into the Hudson valley
other races which finally made the
Dutch and Palatine elements a minor-
ity. Today they form a thoroughly
American element so amalgamated as
to no longer be a definite racial item.
Just as the Indians infiuenced our first
settlers, so our first settlers have af-
fected the later comers. In the Revo-
lution it fell largely to the New York
Dutch militiaman to guard the Hudson
valley (key to the colonies) from the
British. This he helped to do suc-
cessfully. While not exaggerating its
great importance, let us give due credit
to the Dutch and their influence on
America and American history. For it
is as great, in its way, as that of any
other and as said before, it has not
been "written up."

The reader is referred to Mrs.
Grant's "Memoirs of An American
Lady" for the best picture of Dutch
colonial life (about Albany) extant.

The Dutch immigration was contin-
uous into New York state from the
earliest permanent settlements, about
1624, up until the Revolutionary war.
It did not cease with the conquest of
New Netherland by the English in 1664.

The original territory occupied by
the Dutch in New York and New Jer-
sey is shown geographically by the
names they gave their towns, the
streams and other natural features.
Where they did not use the Indian
names, the streams became kills
(Dutch for creek or river). These
Dutch names are scattered all through
the Hudson and Mohawk valleys and
northern New Jersey — the territory of
Dutch colonization.

A very considerable element of
United States population today (1914)
is of Dutch or partial Dutch extraction.
It may be safely estimated that five
million Americans possess some Dutch
blood in their veins. In 1914 there
were in the United States about 370,000
people (N. Y. World Almanac figures)
of Dutch-Flemish-Frisian birth or par-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

353

entage and speaking these allied lan-
guages.

The first settlements by the Dutch
of the Hudson valley, New York har-
bor and Manhattan island take on
great importance, because the Hudson
valley, in its relation to man, is one of
the great river valleys of the world;
because New York harbor is the
world's greatest sea and inland (on the
Hudson) water port and New York
city by 1920 will, doubtless, be the
world's greatest city. New York, in
1915, is estimated by the U. S. Census
Bureau to be but little smaller than
London and in another half decade the
American metropolis will surpass the
British world center in population.

The Hudson valley is the most im-
portant section, commercially and so-
cially, of the leading state of the
United States. The Hudson valley is
the vital spot in American history, in
it has been thoroughly exemplified the
development of our country in manu-
factures, agriculture, political, indus-
trial, commercial, transportation, social,
urban and rural life. In it have been
developed many of our great modern
inventions. On its shores were built
the first successful steamboat and the
locomotive which drew America's first
passenger train, within its borders
(from Albany to Schenectady). Its
early water route, from the Hudson to
the Great Lakes by way of the Mo-
hawk valley, was utilized in the Erie
canal and the later greater Barge
canal, joining the world's oceans to the
thousands of miles of America's great
and wonderful inland water system of
lakes and river. Similarly the early
Indian trails and later turnpikes be-
came still later great continental rail-
road systems. Over the waters of the
Hudson took place the first American
long distance air flight, from Albany to
New York, by Curtiss in 1910, but
seven years after the Wright brothers
made their first glide with a heavier
than air machine at Kitty Hawk, N. C,
in 1903.

In the Civil war the Hudson valley
furnished thousands of men to the
Union armies, while over the Hudson-
Mohawk railroads, rivers and canals

vast quantities of army supplies went
to the front. On its river and rail-
roads hundreds of thousands of Union
soldiers were transported and within
its limits were made great amounts of
arms for the federal armies.

The Hudson valley is today America's
greatest land and water traffic and
transportation route. A waterway like
the Panama canal is of secondary im-
portance compared with it. It is virtu-
ally a sea inlet for one hundred seventy
miles, from New York to Troy, as well
as the channel of a great fresh water
river. As a landscape feature the Hud-
son valley and its hills, mountains,
fields, rivers, lakes and forests, is
without a peer.

Politically the Hudson valley has
played a great part and it has given
two presidents to the United States —
Van Buren and Roosevelt, both de-
scendants of its first Dutch settlers. In
literature, art and music, the Hudson
valley has long been regarded as the
center for the western hemisphere. Its
great city is a wonderful study in itself
much as we may disapprove of it as a
human abiding place. It is easy to
understand, from the foregoing how
vital the history of the Hudson valley
is to the eight million people (1915)
gathered about that estuary of the
Hudson river — New York bay; and this
histoiT includes, of course, that of that
part of the Hudson valley known as
the Mohawk valley — its whole and all
its parts.

A great amount of legendary and
patriotic interest attaches to the Hud-
son valley (of which the Mohawk forms
a part). With it is concerned the
stories of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van
Winkle, which while purely fictitious
and products of Irving's genius refiect
early Dutch eighteenth century Hud-
son river life. Song and story embody
the spirit of the Hudson and the Mo-
hawk. At Rensselaer (old Greenbush),
opposite Albany, Yankee Doodle was
born to the accompaniment of Ameri-
can fifes and drums and the lusty
voices of the farmer soldiers. At Fort
Stanwix, on August 6, 1777, the stars
and stripes were first flown in battle
and at Saratoga in 1777, the Americans

354

APPENDIX

won the decisive action of the Revolu-
tion. At Poughlveepsie in 1786, the
New Yorlv state assembly ratified the
United States constitution, making the
ninth state to take such action and
thereby putting it in force.

In 1754 at Albany was held a con-
vention of colonial delegates, pre-
viously mentioned in this work, which
is said to have been the initial step in
the formation of the United States.
The Mohawk river section of the Hud-
son valley was the home of two tribes
of the Iroquois republic — the Mohawks
and the Oneidas. It is said the exam-
ple of the successful Iroquois league
of the Six Nations had a powerful in-
fluence in the formation of our own
greater present-day American republic.

In the realm of sport, the Hudson
valley boasts the birthplace of the in-
ventor" of baseball — Ballston Springs,
where Gen. Doubleday was born, who
invented the great national pastime at
Cooperstown.

These mentioned are but a few of
the items of interest to all the nation,
which have had their origin in the
Hudson valley. Much of the foregoing
life, trade and trafflc had its birth in
the Hudson valley in the early days
when the Dutch influence was predom-
inant. It must be remembered that
other races were also mingled together
in New York province, but the Dutch
were predominant in numbers and in-
fluence prior to the Revolution. In re-
gard to this subject see Lossing's "Em-
pire State," also Series I., Chapter VII.
of this work. Before (in the early nine-
teenth century) the railroads and Hud-
son river steamboats made urban in-
tercommunication rapid and cheap Al-
bany held the position, for two cen-
turies, of the metropolis of the upper
Hudson and the Mohawk valleys.
Schenectady was a subsidiary center
for the Mohawk valley — market town,
turnpike and river traffic terminal.
Both were typical Dutch towns up to
the beginning of the nineteenth cen-
tury.

It is the peculiar geographical posi-
.tion of the Hudson and its tributary,
the Mohawk, which contributed to
make New York the great city it is

today (1914), offering as it does a
"water level route" to the west — being
the only low break through the Appa-
lachian range of mountains. The com-
pletion of the Erie canal in 1825 made
New York city the foremost metropolis
of the continent and this was greatly
added to by the later railroads tra-
versing the state from east to west.
The great importance and population
of the Hudson valley is bound to in-
crease tremendously with the coming
years.

Of the great traffic and travel route
and waterway, which stretches 425
miles across our state from New York
to Buffalo, 250 miles (from New York
to Rome) lies in the Hudson valley.
This is one-twelfth of the distance
across the continent.

Its manufactures, trade, traffic, land
and water commerce and the ten mil-
lions (1915) which are located on its
shores and that of its estuary — New
York bay — make the Hudson valley the
most important river valley in the
world. Therefore its first settlement
by the Dutch and their predominance
therein for over a century and a half
thereafter, become subjects of much
importance. It must be thoroughly
borne in mind that the Mohawk valley
is part of the greater Hudson valley,
in considering the history of the Hud-
son valley and its first se'^tlement by
the Holland Dutch.

The estimated population of New
York city in 1914 was 5,500,000. In ad-
dition to this there were estimated to
be over 1,500,000 people on the shores
of the lower Hudson adjoining New
York and on the borders of New York
bay and its adjoining waters, all with-
in a twenty-mile radius of New York
city hall. The principal of these places
were Newark, Jersey City, Yonkers,
Elizabeth and Hoboken. This gives a
combined population of 7,000,000 lo-
cated at the mouth of the Hudson.
The twenty-two Hudson valley coun-
ties of Essex, Warren, Hamilton,
Washington, Saratoga, Oneida, Herki-
mer, Montgomery, Fulton, Schoharie,
Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer,
Greene, Columbia, Ulster, Dutchess,
Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westches-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

355

ter, Bronx had a combined population
in 1910 of 1,633,000 in round numbers.
Adding to this the 1910 population of
New York city, 4,767,000 and the four
New Jersey counties of Bergen, Hud-
son, Eessex and Union and parts of
Middlesex and Monmouth (all of
which abut on New York bay) with a
1910 population of about 1,400,000 gives
a 1910 population of the Hudson val-
ley and the cities at its mouth of
7,800,000, compared with a 1910 popu-
lation for the United States of 92,000,-
000. By 1915 this population will be
probably 9,000,000, as compared with
an estimated U. S. population of over
100,000,000. By 1920 the Hudson val-
ley population will probably be
11,000,000 out of a U. S. popu-
lation of 110,000,000. By 1950 the
Hudson valley population may be
20,000,000 and that of the United States
175,000,000. The population of the
twenty-two Hudson valley counties
and New York city in 1910 was 6,400,-
000 as compared with 9,113,000 for New
York state. The twenty-two Hudson
valley counties (above New York city)
and the five New York city counties
(Bronx, New York, Richmond, Kings
and Queens) comprised twenty-seven
of the sixty-two counties of New York
state. Prom the foregoing it can
readily be seen what an important
section of the United States and of
North America the Hudson valley
forms, containing as it does about one-
eleventh of the population of our coun-
try and about one-twelfth of that of
North America (excluding Mexico),
north of the Rio Grande. Not all of
the territory of the twenty-two Hud-
son valley counties lie in the Hudson
river watershed but the greater part
of their territory does and all but a
small fraction of their population is
gathered along the Hudson and its
tributaries and within its watershed.

An interesting center of population in
the Hudson valley is that which lies at
the junction of the Hudson and its
principal tributary, the Mohawk. The
Albany-Troy section had a population
in 1910 of 230,000 in round numbers.
Including Schenectady and its suburb
Scotia this group of Hudson-Mohawk

cities in 1910 had a population of 306,-
000. This has since increased and
probably will increase rapidy in the
future, as this family of cities lies at
the end of Hudson tide water naviga-
tion and at the beginning of Mohawk
river-Barge canal navigation and is
also a great railroad, industrial and
agricultural center. The reader's at-
tention is directed to a study of the
map of New York state river valleys
and to the remarkable way in which
the Hudson and Oswego river valleys
carry water navigation three-quarters
of the way over the great New York to
Buffalo trade route. A people located
along this great trade route are for-
tunate in being daily in touch with its
industrial, commercial, agricultural,
political, social and historical features.

1661 — Dutch Settlement of Schenectady

"Schenectady, Ancient and Modern;"
Joel Henry Monroe, 1914:

Regarding the settlement of Schen-
ectady in 1661, the above work says:

Arent Van Curler, a native of Hol-
land, superintended for many years
this great [Rensselaer] estate. He
was a man of unusual force and abil-
ity, an influential figure in the affairs
of the colony, and also among both the
Indians and the French. Van Curler
was something of a diplomatist too,
honest in public matters, was fearless
and withal progressive. He was highly
esteemed by the Iroqouis and often
acted as amljassador in disputes and
in humane matters arising between
them and the French. The latter also
regarded him in the highest favor.

Van Curler was familiar with the
surrounding country. He had had oc-
casion to make many trips up and
down the valley during the twenty
years past and had taken special note
of the charming country lying west of
Beverwyck [Albany]. ******

The contour of the land and the
geographical location combined to ren-
der the site chosen a most eligible
one, and, by reason of its situation on
the Mohawk river, it was destined to
be at the foot of navigation. The
liroad river, skirting the proposed town
on the west, formed a spacious bay or
Binne Kill, which would afford an
ample harbor. The land, to be sure,
was still in possession of the Mo-
hawks; it had been their hunting
ground and corn ground for many
centuries. In fact the site of Schenec-
tady, according to tradition, was the
seat of an Indian capitol at some re-
mote period.

* * *

356

APPENDIX

The names of the petitioners, ask-
ing to settle at Schenectady, in 1661,
were Van Curler, Brouwer, Glen, Van
Velsen, Veeder, Van Woggleum,
Bancker, Teller, DeWinter, Borsboom,
Van Olinda, Wemp, Van Slyck.

The town of Schenectady is referred
to, in the original Indian deed to the
Dutch settlers as Schonowa. The
name of the Indian village there was
Connochariguharie, which pronounced
rapidly, sounds suspiciously like Can-
ajoharie. Possibly the whole region of
the Mohawk valely north may have
been so-called by the Mohawks, as so
many of their localities and towns had
a similarly sounding name.

The name Schenectady is supposed
to be (by some) Dutch and not Mo-
hawk in its derivation. Yates's (1902)
"Schenectady County" says: "The
name the county now bears is said to
have a beautiful origin: — Schoon
(beautiful) Acten (valuable) Deel (por-
tion of land)." Is this right or is it a
"guess?" Can "Schenectady" be a
final settling down of the various at-
tempts of various nationalities to pro-
nounce Canajoharie, which may have
been the name the Mohawks gave their
whole country? In lieu of a better
translation, however, it is well to ac-
cept that of Yates.

The Mohawks a Bar to Early White
Settlement Along the Mohawk.
The average reader of history, in
scanning the accounts of the settle-
ment of the British colonies, generally
wonders why the rich agricultural
section of the Mohawk valley was not
settled earlier in the history of our
country. That it was not was entirely
due to the fact that the early authori-
ties, both Dutch and English, secured
the alliance of the powerful Iroquois
nation and wished them to continue as
a defence against the encroaching
French power on the St. Lawrence. To
have settled in their country would
have broken up this alliance and made
the Iroquois the enemies of the white
men then resident in the Hudson val-
ley. The Mohawks and Iroquois
greatly admired Van Curler and
therefore allowed him to settle at

Schenectady in 1661. Doubtless they
also figured that this white chief would
help them in their never-ending bat-
tle with the French and the Canadian
Indians if he were located among
them. So great was their admiration
for Van Curler that, for years after
his death, they gave the New York
governor the title of "Corlaer." The
settlement of Schenectady was the en-
tering wedge and soon other white
settlements were made farther up the
Mohawk valley among the Mohawks,
then enfeebled and depleted by alcohol
and the vices introduced among them,
by the white men. Fort Stanwix (or
Schuyler) remained the western boun-
dary of the New York settlements un-
til after the Revolution, as the tribes
of the other Six Nations, aside from
the Mohawks, remained an insur-
mountable barrier to any further en-
croachment. After the council of 1788
at Fort Schuyler, the Indian title to
lands west of that point was extin-
guished and immigration in great vol-
ume at once set in.

1709— Trip of Four Mohawk Chiefs to
England.

In 1709 four chiefs of the Mohawk
nation accompanied Col. Peter Schuy-
ler of Albany to England. The ex-
penses of the trip were paid by the
British nation and the journey was
made with the idea of allying the Iro-
quois more closely with the English
cause, particularly as the French were
continually making overtures of
friendship to the Five Nations. The
Mohawk chiefs represented the Iro-
quois confederacy and they would only
go on the condition that their friend
Schuyler, accompany them. For, they
trusted him implicitly, saying "he
never told a lie and always thought
before he spoke." King Hendrick was
one who made the journey and in Eng-
land he had his portrait painted in a
court suit presented him by Queen
Anne, who received these savage chief-
tains several times. To Schuyler she
offered knighthood, but he, true demo-
crat that he was, courteously declined
the honor. The trip was undertaken
with the idea of showing the Iroquois

ADDITIONS, NOTES, COKKECTIONS

357

people the real military and commer-
cial greatness of England, and, under
Schuyler's skilful direction, it proved
a great success. On the return of the
Mohawk chieftains to Albany in 1710,
a council was there held at which the
Iroquois made a strong league of
friendship with the English New York
provincial authorities, a course due to
the forceful representations of the re-
turned travelers. One of the Mohawks
died on the voyage. Col. Peter Schuy-
ler was one of the leading men of his
time in the upper Hudson and Mohawk
valleys, of which Albany was the
center.

1760 — Mrs. Grant's Mohawk River Trip

Mrs. Anne Grant's "Memoirs of An
American Lady (Margaret Schuyler)"
is mentioned several times in this
work. Mrs. Grant was Anne McVicar,
the daughter of a Scotch officer in the
English army, and lived her childhood
in Albany and vicinity. In 1758 she
with her mother came from Scotland
and located at Claverack-on-the-Hud-
son, where Capt. McVicar was sta-
tioned. In 1760 she accompanied
her parents to Ft. Oswego and on her
return from there located in Albany
until 1768, when they all returned to
Scotland. Mrs. Grant describes Al-
bany and vicinity, of that time, in a
most graphic manner. She is most
enthusiastic in her praise of the de-
scendants of the Hollanders who made
Albany a Dutch city until the nine-
teenth century. She also speaks very
highly of the Palatine German element
of the population tributary to Albany,
and of the Mohawk nation as well, for
whose savage virtues she had a great
appreciation. Her trip from Claver-
ack to Oswego, by boat on the Mo-
hawk to Wood creek, Oneida lake and
the Oswego river, is described most
entertainingly. She, with her parents,
visited Sir William Johnson at his
first two Mohawk river homes (John-
son Hall at Johnstown not being then
built); also King Hendrick at Fort
Canajoharie or Fort Hendrick (now
Indian Castle). This was the son of
the famous King Hendrick, who fell in
battle under Sir William Johnson, at

Lake George in 1755. Of her Mohawk
river trip in 1760 she says, in part:
"The first day we came to Schenec-
tady, a little town, situated in a rich
and beautiful spot, and partly sup-
ported by the Indian trade. The next
day we embarked, proceeded up the
river with six batteaux, and came,
early in the evening, to one of the most
charming scenes imaginable, where
Fort Hendrick was built; so called in
compliment to the principal sachem
or King of the Mohawks. He resided,
at the time, in a house which the pub-
lic workmen, who had lately built this
fort, had been ordered to erect for him
in the vicinity. We did not fail to
wait upon his majesty; who, not choos-
ing to depart too much from the cus-
toms of his ancestors, had not per-
mitted divisions of apartments or mod-
ern furniture to profane his new
dwelling. It had the appearance of a
good barn and was divided across by
a mat hung in the middle. King
Hendrick, who had indeed a very
princely figure and a countenance that
would not have dishonored royalty,
was sitting on the floor beside a large
heap of wheat, surrounded by baskets
of dried berries of different kinds. Be-
side him his son, a very pretty boy,
somewhat older than myself, was car-
essing a foal, which was unceremon-
iously introduced into the royal resi-
dence. A laced hat, a fine saddle and
pistols, gifts of his good brother, the
Great King, were hung round on the
cross beams. He was splendidly ar-
rayed in a coat of pale blue, trimmed
with silver; all the rest of his dress
was of the fashion of his own nation,
and highly embellished with beads and
other ornaments. * * * Add to all
this, that the monarch smiled, clapped
my head and ordered me a little bas-
ket, very pretty, and filled, by the of-
ficious kindness of his son, with dried
berries. Never did princely gifts, or
the smile of royalty produce more ar-
dent admiration and profound grati-
tude." Mrs. Grant speaks of "sitting
from morning to night, musing in the
boat * * * having my imagination
continually amused with the variety
of noble, wild scenes, which the beau-

358

APPENDIX

tiful banks of the Mohawk afforded."
The party making the trip consisted
of a number of British soldiers, under
Captain McVicar, with some of their
wives. They all camped for the night
several times on this journey to Fort
Oswego and the howling of the wolves
was so terrific that it made several of
the women hysterical. A considerable
portion of the work is given to Fort
Oswego, which was then a frontier
post, coinpletely isolated in the great
forest; its only connection with civili-
zation being by the waterway to Al-
bany mentioned. Fort Oswego, as
shown in this work, played a great
part in Mohawk valley Revolutionary
history. '

Mrs. Grant mentions the knowledge
of nature possessed by the early colo-
nists of New York province. This na-
ture lore was early acquired and even
children early learned its rudiments.
Mrs. Grant speaks of the young Al-
banian of the middle eighteenth cen-
tury, in this regard as follows:

"It is inconceivable how well these
young travelers, taught by their In-
dian friends and the experimental
knowledge of their fathers, understood
every soil and its productions. A boy
of twelve would astonish you with
his accurate knowledge of plants, their
properties, and their relation to the
soil and to each other. Said he: 'Here
is a wood of red oak; when it is
grubbed up this will be loam and sand,
and make good Indian corn ground.
This chestnut wood abounds with
strawberries, and is the very best soil
for wheat. The poplar wood yonder is
not worth clearing; the soil is always
wet and cold. There is a hickory
wood, where the soil is always rich
and deep, but does not run out; such
and such plants that dye blue or
orange, grow under it.' "

In the conflicting racial prejudices
of Mrs. Grant's day, it is amusing to
note her hostility to the New England
people who were then beginning to
come in.to New York state. This is
particularly edifying considering the
widely differing views of Elkanah
Watson, a New Englander himself,
who made the same trip by batteaux
about thirty years later.

1760 — Gen. Amherst's Expedition.

In 1760 Gen. Amherst's British and
Provincial American army passed up
the Mohawk valley on its way to the
investment of Montreal. Amherst's
army caused the fall of Montreal and
the final extinction of French power in
Canada. The invading force left Sche-
nectady, June 12, 1760, and marched
up the valley, the supplies and muni-
tions going up the river by batteaux.
The army numbered 10,000 men — 6,000
provincial troops and 4,000 regulars.
With this expedition were Gen. Am-
herst, Gen. Thomas Gage (later En-'
glish commandant of Boston), Col.
Haldemand (afterward governor-gen-
eral of Canada during the Revolution),
Sir William Johnson (superintend-
ent of Indian affairs). Gen. John
Bradstreet and Lieut. -Col. Israel Put-
nam, the famous American Revolu-
tionary leader. Later Johnson joined
the expedition with 1,300 Iroquois war-
riors in his force. This was the largest
Indian body ever attached to a British
general's command. Amherst's army,
when it invested Montreal, numbered
17,000 men. That part of it which
went up the Mohawk, in June, 1760,
numbering ten thousand, was the larg-
est army which ever entered this val-
ley. Thus, from the Mohawk, went
forth the American and British fight-
ing force which ended French empire
along the St. Lawrence. The foregoing
is briefly mentioned in Series I., Chap-
ter II.

Regarding this we quote as follows
from Wager's "History of Oneida
County — Our County and Its People
(1896)":

In 1760 a final campaign was or-
dered by the British government to
drive the French forces, which had
converged around Montreal, from Can-
ada. One English army was to pro-
ceed from Quebec, another from Lake
Champlain, and a third from Albany
up the Mohawk, via the Oneida carry-
ing place, to Oswego, thence over Lake
Ontario and down the St. Lawrence.
General Amherst commanded the last,
consisting of 4,000 English regulars,
6,000 Provincials and 600 Indians under*
Sir William Johnson. * * * * jn
Septeml)er of that year (1760) the En-
glish forces converged at Montreal,
where the French army had been
driven, and all Canada passed into the
hands of the English.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

359

This great movement of British
forces through the Mohawk valley,
which resulted in the American-Britifeh
conquest of North America from the
French, is hardly even mentioned in
the various histories and stories of the
Mohavi'k valley. Its tale is worth a
volume in itself.

CHAPTER III.
Sir William Johnson, an Appreciation.

It is regrettable that the great
achievements of Sir William Johnson
should be befogged, in the eyes of the
casual reader of history, by the re-
vamping of ancient stories as to his
marriage relations. Johnson was an
empire builder like several other
strong Americans of early days. Be-
loved by his red and white neighbors,
his fine manly figure looms large and
clear in the light of history. William
Johnson founded schools, churches,
forts and a town, he built roads, aided
his neighbors to improve their condi-
tion and their farming methods. He
introduced seeds, plants, animals,
trees, etc., into the Mohawk valley.
His battles for his country found a
record in a bullet in his thigh.

Sir William Johnson thoroughly or-
ganized the Mohawk valley militia, and
this discipline was useful to them dur-
ing the Revolution. Although other
tribes of the Six Nations wavered,
Johnson always kept their mightiest
warriors, the Mohawks, in the English
ranks. His power over the Iroquois,
his well-trained militia and his mili-
tary talents, together with his defense
of the Mohawk and his victories at
Lake George and Niagara largely con-
tributed to the final British conquest
of Canada. To Johnson, as much as
to any man of his time (not excepting
Washington) are we responsible for
the English-speaking American race
which dominates the great continent
of North America from the Rio
Grande to the North Pole.

From his appointment, in 1750, to be
one of the Governor's Council of the
Province of New York, until his death
at Johnstown in 1774 — a period of a
quarter century — Johnson was prob-

ably the most important and influen-
tial figure in the state. His influence
was particularly telling as it was ex-
erted during one of the most important
formative periods in the state's history.
A "world man," modern in the most
modern sense, for he was without
prejudice or intolerance and a guiding,
governing brother to Mohawk, Hol-
lander, German or British resident of
the valley in his time. With the power
of a prince, he was simple, strong and
manly, though he well knew how to
entertain and impress the spectator
with a show of military power or the
signs of wealth. There is no stronger
figure in our Colonial history than that
of Johnson, and the rehashing of his
alleged immoralities, etc. — veritable
historical back-fence tattle — should be
discountenanced. The praise of a con-
temporary is praise indeed and we find
a glowing tribute to the Mohawk val-
ley baronet in the "Memoirs of An Am-
erican Lady" by Mrs. Anne Grant, who
traveled through the Mohawk valley in
the middle eighteenth century and who
visited Johnson at his first and second
houses on the Mohawk. Sir William's
memory has suffered from the Toryism
and vandalisms of his son Sir John
Johnson and the "Johnson party," but
it is a perversion of "Mohawk Dutch"
whiggery to vent this resentment on
William Johnson. Johnson's achieve-
ments would remain just as great even
had he been possessed of as many
concubines as an ancient biblical patri-
arch. However there is every rea-
son to believe Sir William was mar-
ried to both Catherine Wisenberg and
Molly Brant. Their children inherited
under the law as legal and legitimate
heirs. Johnson was married to his
first wife at Queen Anne's chapel, Fort
Hunter, by Mr. Barkley, the Episcopal
minister, and, by at least the Indian
form of marriage, he was tied up as
fast to his second wife, Molly Brant,
as any Mohawk valley daddy of today
is spliced to his lady boss, by dominie,
priest or squire.

See chronology of Johnson's life in
chronology of William Johnson, under
the Mohawk valley chronologies.

360

APPENDIX

When in 1742, Sir William Johnson
built his stone house, at present
known as Fort Johnson, he called it
Mount Johnson. About ten years later,
at the beginning of the French and
Indian war, it was fortified and, then
or later, became known as Fort John-
son. This has been the cause of con-
siderable confusion as Johnson called
his first house, in present Florida
township, by the name of Fort
Johnson.

CHAPTER V.
In the "1772 — Tryon County and the
Canajoharie and Palatine Districts"
chapter V. the statement is made that
"It was almost entirely the influence
of Sir William Johnson which made
Tryon county a region unfavorable to
the cause of independence." The idea
really meant is not that Sir William
would have been a Tory had he lived,
but rather that a strong Tory party
had grown up around him. Many
writers incline to the belief that John-
son would have cast his lot with the
colonies, or would have at least re-
mained neutral.

CHAPTER VIII.

1764 — The General Herkimer House — A
1913 Description.

The following is an excellent de-
scription of the General Herkimer
house, in Danube, Herkimer county, at
the time of its being turned over to
the care of the Daughters of the Am-
erican Revolution and the German-
American Alliance, after its purchase
by the state of New York in 1913.

As before stated the Herkimer house
was built by Nicholas Herkimer in
1764, on his removal from his former
home at German Flatts to Danube and
his location on the Herkimer patent at
Fall Hill, granted to his father, Johan
Jost Herkimer. It was later occupied
by his brother, George Herkimer, and
George's son, John Herkimer, up to
1817. It was not "built of bricks
brought from Holland" and probably
but very few houses were, the popular
tradition to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. The bricks were doubtless made

in the Mohawk valley somewhere and
brought here on the river. The burial
plot has always been the property of
the descendants of Capt. George Her-
kimer, as the editor of this work un-
derstands it.

For reference to the Herkimer house
(as it has been generally called in the
family) see Chapter XIII, Series I.
The following account is from the Al-
bany Knickerbocker Press, Oct. 1, 1913:

The house is a two-story brick
structure with basement and attic.
The foundation is of limestone. The
bricks are shorter than those made
nowadays and about six inches wide.
The fire places are immense affairs,
and are found in the basement as well
as on the first and second floors. The
hallway running through the center
of the house is a very wide one. and
has in it a partition shutting off the
stairway. This partition may not
have been in the original house. The
walls are thick and the windows are
panel V)acked and have window seats.
The stair risers are from one inch to
two inches higher than those now
built. The boards in such of the orig-
inal floors as remain are from twenty
inches to two feet wide and it is evi-
dent that they were never run through
a planer. The laths used are split by
the use of a hatchet, and the roof tim-
bers are hewn out of red pine and very
substantial. In one part of the cellar
are port holes, indicating that it was
built to withstand a siege, and in the
other to the right of the fireplace are
the remains of what appears to have
once been a tunnel leading out to the
powder magazine.

All the rooms on the first and second
floors are generous in size, and ad-
joining the main rooms are what may
have been recesses or sleeping rooms,
connected by an arch and treated like
an alcove. On the first floor are few
decorative features. On the second
floor is a guest chamber, said to be the
room in which General Herkimer died.
The panels in the doors and under the
windows are in gothic designs, and
also have a Greek pattern. The mould-
ing around the mantel and archway is
ornamented by rosettes, some of which
have been abstracted by vandals.
This room easily might be restored
with good effect. In the attic, the roof
is supported by trusses and these are
skilfully and substantially built.

While the outside of the walls might
he improved by pointing up, it is no-
ticeable that the mortar is solid and
holds the bricks firmly. Although
these walls were built 150 years ago,
the mortar is more solid than that
in the stone walls surrounding the
cemetery laid in 1896. The roof is hipped,

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

361

having- a double slant. The powder
magazine is situated under the large
barn in the rear of the house and about
forty yards distant. This is an under-
ground masonry structure about 18x24
feet and ten feet high. It has an
arched ceiling of heavy masonry. At
the front are two port holes.

In the dooryard is a granite marker
with bronze tablet, placed .there by
the German-American Alliance of the
state, June 14.. 1912. It is surrounded
by an iron fence. Nearby is what ap-
pears to have been a neighborhood
graveyard containing perhaps a hun-
dred marked graves of members of
his family. This graveyard is sur-
rounded by a massive stone wall laid
random. It is covered with a creep-
ing vine, which just now is scarlet,
and the bright blue of the Michael-
mas daisies make a strong contrast
in colors.

The granite shaft erected by th^
state of New York in 1896, rises to a
height of about seventy-five feet and
is a stately monuinent worthy of the
man. It can be seen for miles.

1777 — Account of the Herkimer- Brant
Conference at Unadilla by Joseph
Wagner, a Palatine Militiaman.
The Fonda Democrat under date of
May 22, 1913, printed (from the papers
in the possession of the Sammons fam-
ily of Fonda) a statement made by
Joseph Wagner (probably of Palatine)
regarding the famous conference in
the spring of 1777 between Herkimer
with a party of Tryon county militia
and Brant and his warriors, at Una-
dilla. Wagner was with Capt. Fox's
company in Col. Klock's regiment of
Palatine militia. Col. Cox and Major
Eisenlord are mentioned as also being
in the force of 300 men under the com-
mand of Gen. Herkimer. The party
went to Cherry Valley, evidently by
way of Fort Plain, where they stayed
one week, "thence to Lake Otsego, now
Cooperstown, where we remained one
day and a night." From here Herki-
mer sent "an express" to Brant at
Ockwago asking him to come to Una-
dilla for a conference. The Ameri-
cans then marched to Unadilla where
they waited a week for the Indians
to appear. Brant arrived with 500
warriors, "accompanied by Capt. A.
Bull, William Johnson, son of Sir
William Johnson by an Indian woman,
and also an Indian chief." Wagner's

statement continues: "Brant, having
encamped, took 40 of his Indians and,
together with Bull, Johnson and the
chief, proceeded to where Herkimer
had encamped. A circle was now
formed by Herkimer, in which Brant
with the chief and the other officers
entered. A conversation having been
entered into, Brant, for some reason
or other, became irritated and sent his
40 Indians to their encampment, when,
they all at once fired off their rifles as
a signal for battle. Before Brant left
he agreed to meet Herkimer at 9
o'clock next morning in the same place.
In the morning Gen. Herkimer called
on me and informed me that he was
about communicating something in
confidence, which I must keep a per-
fect secret. He then told me that he
had selected myself and three others
to be present in the circle when Brant
and those with him should arrive, that
each was to choose and know his man,
and, on a given signal, to fire on
Brant and the three with him. Brant
arrived, accompanied the same as the
day before, when he addressed Gen.
Herkimer, as follows: 'Hundred war-
riors with me, well-armed and ready
for battle, you are in my power but, as
we have been friends and neighbors, I
will not take advantage. I will go
back again and for the present you
may rest assured that no hostilities
will be committed, by the Indians.'
Herkimer made Brant a present of the
dozen head of cattle he had brought
along and Brant's warriors immedi-
ately killed them with spears and
tomahawks." The statement continues:
"It is very probable that Herkimer's
object was to get Brant to take part
in the war against Great Britain or,
at least, during said war to remain
neutral. But Brant informed him that
it was now too late and the Indians
would not remain neutral. Brant went
west, joined St. Leger at Oswego and
went with him to the siege of Fort
Stanwix." Brant's irritation at the
first day's conference arose from a dis-
pute with and abuse by Col. Cox.

Herkimer has been severely criti-
cised by some historians for the fore-
going order, but it was a dictate of

362

APPENDIX

common sense, made necessary by the
dangers of border warfare with a bar-
barous race and was thoroughly jus-
tified.

county during the Revolutionary
struggle and a leader in the life and
events of the constructive period in
the valley, following the war for inde-
pendence.

Christopher P. Yates.

Christopher P. Yates is frequently
mentioned in the Revolutionary ac-
counts of Tryon count5\ He was a
member of the well known Mohawk
valley Yates family and was born
in 1750, died 1815. Yates was a man
of education and force in support of
the American cause, was a lawyer and
practised in the Tryon and old Mont-
gomery county courts. In 1774 he held
a captain's commission and was a
commissary of then Colonel Nicholas
Herkimer's brigade. He went with
Montgornery to Canada as a volunteer
and it has been suggested that his ad-
miration for his ill-fated commander
made him instrumental in changing
the name of Tryon to Montgomery
county. Yates raised a company of
rangers during the war and in 1776
was made a major in the First New
York line regiment. He was early
identified with the Tryon county com-
mittee of Safety. Christopher P.
Yates was a delegate, from Tryon
county, to the first and third provin-
cial congresses, a member of assem-
bly, 1774-85-88, 1800-1-2, and the first
county clerk of Montgomery county,
being in office from 1777 to 1800, and
also surrogate 1778-87. He was a
member of the New York state con-
vention which ratified the federal con-
stitution, thereby putting it in force,
and a member of the first board of re-
gents of New York. He married Maria
Frey, daughter of Hendrick Frey, in
1774 and the Fonda Democrat (from
which the foregoing facts are taken)
under date of July 3, 1913, says that
"he is buried on his old farm, and his
grave lies uncared for and neglected
on what is now known as the Devoe
farm, near Freysbush, in the town of
Minden." A portrait of Yates painted
in 1803, was unearthed in 1913, re-
stored and hung in the county clerk's
office in Fonda. Christopher P. Yates
was one of the first patriots of Tryon

CHAPTER IX.

In Simms's "Frontiersmen of New
York" a picture is printed represent-
ing a view of the blockhouse and, in
the distance, the Reformed Dutch
church of Canajoharie district stand-
ing on Sand Hill. Such a view would
have been actually impossible, as th«
church was burned by Brant's raiders
in August, 1780, and the construction
of the blockhouse was not begun until
a few months later.

CHAPTER XI.
1777 — The Battie of Oriskany Describ-
ed by Miller and Seeber, Soldier
Participants.

This work contains something unique
in Mohawk valley Revolutionary his-
tory and in American Revolutionary
history in its accounts of valley Revo-
lutionary battles told by soldier par-
ticipants in the actions and cam-
paigns which they describe. Chief of
these (to be found in the appendix) is
the account of Johnson's great valley
raid of 1780 and the resultant actions
at the Middle and Lower Schoharie
forts and at Stone Arabia, and Klock's
Field or the Battle of St. Johnsville.
This wonderfully clear and vivid de-
scription is by Hon. Thomas Sam-
mons, a private with Capt. McKean's
American volunteers, who was in the
battle of Klock's Field and who knew
of the other actions by hearsay from
their soldier participants. The second
account in importance, is to be found
in the appendix, and is that of Lieut.
Wallace, who guided the detachment
under Major Rowley to the rear of the
enemy under Ross at the Johnson Hall
battle, which resulted in the victory of
Rowley's battalion over a much su-
perior force. A companion description
to this is that of Philip Graff, a private
with Willett's expedition up West Can-
ada creek in pursuit of Ross's retreat-
ing little army, Graff describes the

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

363

battle of Butler's ford and the killing
of Butler. This is contained at the end
of Chapter XX., Series I.

In addititon there are two accounts
in the appendix of the Oriskany battle
by two soldiers engaged in that bloody
struggle. These foregoing descriptions
of valley actions by Revolutionary sol-
dier participants are from the Sam-
mons papers, and, so far as the editor
of this work knows, have never before
been contained in any valley historical
work. They were all published in the
Fonda Democrat, during the year 1913.
In this book are also published the
Oriskany soldiers' anecdotes (from
Simms), published in Chapter XIIL,
Series I., and the well-known state-
ment concerning the American sortie
from Fort Schuyler, written by the
commander of that movement, Col.
Willett and originally published and
contained in Chapter XI., Series I.

Thus, in "The Story of Old Fort Plain
and the Middle Mohawk Valley," are
Revolutionary soldiers' accounts of
Oriskany, the sortie from Fort Schuy-
ler, the actions at the Middle and
Lower Schoharie forts. Stone Arabia,
Klo(?k's Field (or St. Johnsville battle),
Johnstown, West Canada creek (or
Butler's Ford) — eight Mohawk valley
Revolutionary battles and skirmishes — ■
including all the more important valley
actions of the war for independence
excepting that of Sharon Springs, of
which there is a chapter based on that
in Simms, which was written by him
from the accounts of American soldier
participants. No other book than this
contains all these most important Rev-
olutionary documents.

The first of these soldiers' state-
ments, chronologically, are those con-
cerning the battle of Oriskany by
Adam Miller, who then lived in the
present town of Glen, Montgomery
county, and of Henry Seeber of Cana-
joharie township, Montgomery county.
They follow:

Adam Miller, a soldier of the Revo-
lutionary army [from the present town
of Glen, Montgomery county], states
that he was, in the year 1777, enrolled
in Capt. John Davis's company of mi-

litia in Col. Frederick Visscher's [Mo-
hawk district of Tryon county] regi-
ment and said company, being ordered
out for militia service [he was], en-
gaged in a battle with the [British]
enemy at Oriskany, about four miles
above [present] Utica. Col. Cox [of
the Canajoharie district regiment] and
Gen. Herkimer [commanding the
Tryon county brigade of militia] held
a consultation previous to the day [of
the battle, August 6, 1777] upon the
propriety of an attack, supposing the
enemy to be greater in number [as
they proved to be]. Gen. Herkimer ex-
pressed a desire to send for a rein-
forcement to which Col. Cox replied,
"It will not do." Gen. Herkimer then
replied "March on." They all pro-
ceeded without delay to march towards
the enemy with advanced and flank
guards. After marching a short dis-
tance the guards were shot off and the
main body of the army instantly sur-
rounded by the enemy. A bloody bat-
tle then ensued. Col. Cox, Capt. Davis
and Capt. Van Slyck were killed at
the commencement of the battle. Mil-
ler was taken prisoner by Capt. John
Hare soon after Capt. Davis was killed.
Col. Bellinger [of the German Flatts
regiment] fired upon the party having
him prisoner, which set him at liberty,
and he again joined in battle against
the enemy. Soon after this the enemy
advanced with fixed bayonets, in which
a close attack ensued without the fir-
ing of guns from either side. Capt.
Gardinier, on the side of the American,
and Lieut. MacDonald, of the enemy,
were actually clinched together, in
which Capt. Gardinier was thrown to
the ground and there fastened down
with two bayonets which were driven
through his thighs, from which he was
liberated by Miller. The enemy ap-
peared to be the strongest party and
succeeded in taking a number of arms
from the American army. Capt. Gar-
dinier instantly followed Lieut. Mac-
Donald and thrust a spear into his side.
Many others were actually clinched to-
gether with bayonets and spears were
clashing together from both parties.
Col. Willett having commenced firing
from the Fort [Schuyler] and the

364

APPENDIX

brave officers and soldiers unwavering
[and continuing] the battle with great
energj^ they succeeded in driving the
enemy from the field, leaving, among
the slain, Capt. Hare and Lieut. Mac-
Donald on the field of battle, Lieuts.
Watts and Singleton wounded. They
then proceeded to make biers [litters]
for the purpose of removing the
wounded, in which they succeeded in
removing them from the field of battle
unmolested.

Henry Seeber, of the Canajoharie
district, in the Sammons papers, gives
the following statement regarding part
of the battle of Oriskany:

He was ordered out in Col. Cox's
regiment and marched to the German
Platts. On the fifth of August march-
ed with Gen. Herkimer, who command-
ed a regiment of the Tryon county mi-
litia, to Thompson's farm, five or six
miles west of the flats and the last on
the south side of the river. Here Her-
kimer wished to wait for a reinforce-
ment or until Gansevoort could make
a sally from the fort in his favor. Her-
kimer sent an express to the fort and,
if the express could pass the enemy's
camp and reach the fort, requested
Gansevoort to give notice to it by fir-
ing three cannons. Herkimer was very
desirous, on the morning of the battle,
to remain where he was until he should
receive the signal from the fort, but
was urged and even accused of cow-
ardice by some of his officers and some
of the principal men of Tryon county.
He therefore attempted to pass the
enemy; when, after marching some
distance, his advanced guard came
upon some of the enemy. A few min-
utes told him he was completely within
the ambush of the enemy. We were
engaged most warmly on our south
side as on the north to the river was
very swampy ground. One Jacob
Peeler commenced forming [men in]
a circle, without having orders from
any officers, about an hour after the
battle had commenced, and all soon
followed his example.

Jacob Peeler's name does not appear
on any Oriskany roster. Many names
could be added, probably, with further

effort. The tactics of forming the Am-
ericans into circles during the Oris-
kany battle has been credited to others
than Peeler.

Miller's description would indicate
that Col. Willett's sortie from Fort
Schuyler, against the British camp,
drew off such a large portion of the
British force, engaged in attacking
the valley militia, that they were there-
after able to withdraw unmolested
from the Oriskany battlefield. With-
out this help from Col. Gansevoort's
garrison, the Tryon county farmers
might have been utterly destroyed and
defeated. Also it is more than prob-
able that a well-arranged and con-
certed attack on St. Leger's army by
the Tryon county militia and Ganse-
voort's garrison [their combined Am-
erican forces equalling the British
party] would probably have defeated
and have effectually repulsed the Brit-
ish invaders. It was such an attack
that Gen. Herkimer planned and the
execution of which was prevented by
the insubordination of his officers and
soldiers.

The Indian word from which Oris-
kany was derived was Ole-hisk, mean-
ing "the nettles" — a most appropriate
title considering the conflict there.

1777 — Capt. McDonald's Tory and In-
dian Invasion of Schoharie — Flockey
Battle.

Capt. McDonald with 1.50 Indians and
Tories invaded the Schoharie valley
at Brakabeen on August 10, 1777, four
days after the battle of Oriskany. The
valley was then in a defenseless con-
dition and Col. John Harper, the fa-
mous Schoharie patriot, rode to Al-
bany for aid in repelling this irruption
of the enemy. He was followed by
two hostile Indians, whom he com-
pelled to fly at the points of his pis-
tols. Harper reached Albany, August
12; 28 cavalrymen were dispatched
back to the Schoharie country with
Col. Harper. After a ride from Al-
bany of 45 miles the cavalrymen, join-
ed bj' the Schoharie militia under Col.
Harper, met the enemy at the house of

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

365

Adam Crysler, near the upper end of
Vroomanland, near a place called
"The Flockey," August 13, 1777. A
few shots and a charge by the cavalry
made the invaders fly in disorder.
David Wirt, lieutenant of the cavalry,
was killed and he was the first patriot
to fall in the Schoharie country. Two
privates were wounded — one, named
Rose, mortally. Some 20 Schoharie
Tories joined the enemy on their re-
treat to Niagara. This is known as
the "Battle at the Flockey," the name
meaning "the swamp" or swampy
ground, and was the first Revolution-
ary action in the Schoharie valley.

CHAPTER XIII.
The New York legislature of 1913
passed an act authorizing the purchase
by the state of the Gen. Herkimer
homestead in Danube, which bill has
been signed by Gov. Sulzer. The
house is to be under the joint care of
the German-American Alliance and the
Daughters of the American Revolution.
A movement is on foot (1913) looking
toward the purchase of the Oriskany
battlefield.

CHAPTER XIV.
1778— Battle of Cobleskill.

1778, May 30, occurred what is
known as the battle of Cobleskill.
Brant and 300 of the enemy ambus-
caded 50 American regulars and mi-
litia under Capts. Patrick and Brown.
Twenty-five Americans were killed or
wounded and the rest, together with
the settlers of Cobleskill, escaped to
Schoharie.

Additional Facts Concerning Helmer's
Heroic Run of 1778.
Herman Green of Seattle, Wash.,
writes (1913) as follows concerning the
great feat of John Adam Helmer in
his long run to warn the Fort Her-
kimer-German Flats section of the
approach of Indian raiders in 1778;
"When Helmer got back as far as the
old Warren road, about one-half mile
south of the river road, just west of
the village of Mohawk at the top of

the first long hill, he met an Indian
and each of them dodged behind a large
hemlock tree. Neither of them dared
step out. Helmer put his hat on his
ramrod and held it out so that the In-
dian could see it. The Indian shot and
the hat fell. He came to scalp his sup-
posed victim and Helmer shot him.
The Indians were camped just east of
the road' in a valley. The trees were
pointed out to me seventy years ago,
and I always looked for those trees
when passing that way. My brother
Walter and I went there in September
and located the places where the trees
stood. I would like to see the place
marked."

CHAPTER XV.

1779 — Gen. Clinton's Route From Can-
ajoharie to Otsego Lake.

The route of General Clinton
from the Mohawk valley to Otsego
lake, in 1779, has been the sub-
ject of endless controversy. The Can-
ajoharie, Happy Hollow and Fort
Plain (Otsquago valley) roads have all
been stated to be the way by which
this American army and its supplies
and flatboats journeyed to join Gen.
Sullivan's force. It is probable that
some of the troops, at least, went by
the Fort Plain road. The route from
Canajoharie is the generally accepted
one on which the main body and the
wagons carrying the batteaux, bag-
gage and supplies went. S. L. Frey
says that the Clinton expedition used
the roads then in existence to Otsego
lake, although the American troops
may have cut a road from Springfield
to the head of the lake near Hyde
Hall, where the boats were probably
launched. It would have been prac-
tically impossible for Clinton's men to
make a new road from present Cana-
joharie village to Otsego lake in the
few weeks the American army was in
this vicinity and roads (probably very
bad ones) were already in use. Mr.
Frey gives the following as Clinton's
probable route from Canajoharie vil-
lage to the lake: "It * * * * igd
from the mills on the creek *^o Lind-

366

APPENDIX

sey's Bush, as Cherry Valley was first
called. Some parts of it are still in
use. It is 'the old Cherry Valley road.'
From the mills it climbed the hill, past
the Diedrick Sloan place; then straight
on westward north of the French
place; past the reservoir; then on past
the Amos Klinkhart place and the
Bullock and Goertner farms, and so
on to Marshville; past the Rougher
farm, and then on to Buel and Sprout
Brook, where it separated, one branch
going to the left to Cherry Valley, the
other branch going straight on to
Springfield." From here the American
soldiers may have cut a road to Hyde
Bay through a few miles of wilderness.
This last short stretch is known as
"the Continental road." The Canajo-
harie, Happy Hollow and Fort Plain
roads to Cherry Valley, Springfield and
Otsego lake were all in existence in
1779 and probably followed prior In-
dian trails. It is possible all three
may have been used and Fort Plain
probably figured in some of Clinton's
preparations, as it was the nearest
army post to his point of departure
from the Mohawk. A monument,
erected by the D. A. R. in Canajoharie
village, marks Clinton's point of de-
parture from that place for Otsego
lake.

CHAPTER XVII.

The Sammons papers give an ac-
count of a militiaman, who was with
Col. Wemple's Albany and Schenectady
militia which went to the relief of Fort
Plain when Brant made his Minden
raid of August 1, 1780. Wemple's force
exceeded Brant's and the Americans
marched up to Fort Plain and formed
for battle there, on the flats, with can-
non. Wemple evidently expected
Brant to attack him but the Indian
commander seems to have leisurely
withdrawn up the Otsquago valley,
without being hindered by Wemple,
who seems to have been very derelict.
A party of Tryon militia, largely on
their own initiative, pursued a small
party of Indians and recaptured one of
their white prisoners.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1780 — Johnson's Raid and Battles of
Stone Arabia and Johnstown De-
scribed by Thomas Sammons, an
American Volunteer.

The following account of Johnson's
great raid of 1780 through the Scho-
harie and Mohawk valleys and the ac-
tions of Stone Arabia and Klock's
Field was written by Thomas Sam-
mons, who was a militiaman with Capt.
McKean's volunteers, and who joined
Van Rensselaer's American army at
Caughnawaga. Accounts cf Revolu-
tionary battles and marches by sol-
dier participants are rare. This is the
third account of a Mohawk valley Rev-
olutionary action by a soldier-partici-
pant and by far the most important.
In all there are five such descriptions
in this work, as before mentioned. For
these unique documents we are indebt-
ed to the Sammons papers and their
publications in the Fonda Democrat by
its editor, William B. Wemple, an au-
thority on valley history, whose fre-
quent printings of valuable histori-
cal papers have been of the greatest
assistance in the preparation of this '
work.

So far as the editor of this work
knows, this is the only book which
contains these five Revolutionary mi-
litiamen's accounts of Mohawk valley
battles in which they were engaged
and the only publication which em-
bodies a similar number of such Revo-
lutionary accounts by soldier partici-
pants published anywhere. The sol-
diers' experiences at Oriska.ny, pub-
lished in Simms, are anecdotes of the
fight and not accounts of battles, like
the five Revolutionary valley militia-
men's descriptions published in "The
Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle
Mohawk Valley."

Thomas Sammons gathered a great
deal of Mohawk valley Revolutionary
history at first hand and he well de-
serves the title of our first valley his-
torian. He was a congressman from
old Montgomery county, a member of
the well-known Sammons family (his
father was the pioneer, Sampson Sam-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

367

mons) of the town of Mohawk, Mont-
gomery county. Col. Simeon Sam-
mons, of the 115th New York Volun-
teer Regiment, was the son of Thomas
Sammons.

Sammons's account of Johnson's great
raid and the battles of Stone Arabia
and Klock's Field (St. Johnsville) fol-
low:

"In the fall of the year 1780 Sir John
Johnson made an incursion upon our
frontiers, in which he unfortunately
too well succeeded. He started from
Lachine in Canada, his forces con-
sisting of three companies of his own
regiment and one company of German
Yagers, and came to Oswego, where he
was joined by one company of regu-
lars of the 8th Regt., Butler's rangers
and about 200 Indians under the com-
mand of Joseph Brant, his whole num-
ber consisting of about 800 or 1,000
persons, including Indians. Sir John
Johnson had with him one three
pounder and two brass mortars which
were dragged through the woods by
horses having poles or shafts attached
to their breasts. Each man was sup-
plied with eighty musket cartridges
and every two alternately carried a
cartridge for their cannon.

"From Oswego he proceeded in boats
as far as Onondaga lake, where he
concealed his boats in a creek and pro-
ceeded on his march for Schoharie, go-
ing by way of Service's place on the
Charlotte river and arrived at Scho-
harie on the morning of the 16th of
October, passed by the upper fort and,
coming near the middle fort, some of
his party set fire to a building, which
was seen by the sentinel. This mid-
dle fort was under the command of
Major Wolsey, having 150 state troops
and 50 militia. Lieut. Spencer was
ordered to take 60 volunteers and ex-
amine into the cause of the fire. On
calling for volunteers all wished to go
and forty were counted from the right.
Lieut. Spencer advanced in the di-
rection of the fire and soon fell in
with the advanced part of Sir John's
party and after firing three rounds
upon them retreated into the fort with-
out having lost a man. The alarm gun
being fired, Major Wolsey prepared for

defending the fort and again sent out
Lieut. Spencer with his volunteers to
protect a barn and some stacks of
grain that were near the fort; in doing
so lost one man named L. Yons. The
enemy passed from the south to the
northeast of the fort keeping up a
continual fire with small arms. They
stopped within a short distance to the
northeast and placed their three
pounder on the brow of a hill from
whence they commenced firing upon
the fort. Some five or six cannon balls
were fired into different buildings be-
longing to the fort and three into the
mud walls. Some bombs were also
thrown by the enemy which caused no
other mischief than falling in one of
the buildings fired a lud which was
soon extinguished.

"The fort, having no port holes in the
direction from which the fire of the
enemy was received, a platform was
raised and a cannon being placed upon
it, the first fire of which silenced them.
A white flag was seen to approach the
fort to demand a surrender and orders
were given by Major Wolsey that fir-
ing should discontinue in the fort.
Murphy, a soldier, stationed himself at
a port hole opposite to where the flag
was advancing. He was one of those
whose noble daring on many occa-
sions, had cost the enemy much loss
and knew that for himself, if taken,
there would be no mercy and said he
would not be taken alive. He was or-
dered not to fire and one of the officers
threatened to dispatch him with his
sword but, being supported by the mi-
litia, he fired upon the flag and it re-
treated. Again it advanced and again
he fired. A third time it advanced
from another quarter and a third time
he fired. Then Sir John immediately
commenced his march towards the
lower fort, burning, plundering and
destroying cattle, etc.; having passed
to the west side of Schoharie creek
where he encamped until the follow-
ing morning; when, passing down
along said creek, late in the afternoon
of that day he arrived at Fort Hunter
on the Mohawk river. Somewhere be-
tween the lower fort and Fort Hunter
on a low, marshy piece of ground the

368

APPENDIX

two brass mortars were sunk and yet
remain there. When Sir John Johnson
arrived at Fort Hunter he sent Capt.
Duncan to the north side of the Mo-
hawk with some Indians and three
companies of his Greens; the rest of
his men he retained with himself on
the south side of the river. Sir John,
on the south, and Captain Duncan, on
the north, commenced their march
west along the Mohawk, burning and
destroying everything possible in their
course, until near daybreak when they
came at a place called the Nose Hill
where they encamped opposite each
other. [Oct. 19, 1780.]

"General Robert Van Rensselaer was
in pursuit of Sir John on the south
side of the river with a strong force
of militia and encamped at Charles
Van Epps's, a short distance below
and opposite Caughnawaga the same
time Sir John encamped at the Nose
Hill. The next morning, as Van Rens-
selaer was marching up the south side
of the Mohawk, he was joined by Capt.
McKean, with some eighty volunteers
who joined with the Oneida Indians.
He now numbered about fifteen hun-
dred [in his army].

"Sir John decamped before Van Rens-
selaer came up with him, and going a
short distance farther up the river
crossed to the north side by fording,
leaving on the north bank of the river
40 men to prevent Van Rensselaer
crossing. Capt. Duncan, who was on
the north side, turned from the river
at the Nose Hill and went in the di-
rection of Oswegotchie. Sir John con-
tinued marching west along the river
until he came to Sprakers, where he
sent off north a detachment. These, as
well as those with Capt. Duncan, were
plundering and destroying all they
could to meet Sir John on the old Stone
Arabia; he himself, after continuing
along the river for about two miles
further, turned off for Stone Arabia
and was met by the detachment he
had first sent off.

"Col. Brown was in Fort Paris and
the night before had received orders
from Gen. Van Rensselaer that if Sir
John should approach Stone Arabia,
that he, Brown, with those in the fort,

should engage Sir John in front while
Van Rensselaer would at the same
time engage him in the rear.

"Consequently Col. Brown sallied
from the fort having 135 soldiers, and
after marching three miles met [Oct.
19, 1780] to engage Sir John about one
mile from the river on a farm owned
by Shaver; but, being unsupported,
was soon killed with forty of his men
and the rest escaping as best they
could to the fort. Capt. Duncan had
not joined Sir John. He now dispers-
ed his men in small companies for a
distance of five or six miles round the
country. Later in the afternoon Sir
John reunited his forces and, leaving
Stone Arabia one complete waste,
marched to the river road east of Car-
oga creek and, passing around Fox's
Fort, continued his march west.

"In the meantime Gen. Van Rensse-
laer was on the south side of the river,
in the morning when he came opposite
the forty men Johnson had left to
guard the fording place; halted but
made no attempt to cross the river.
Van Rensselaer had with him a num-
ber of field pieces. William Harper
rode to the banks of the river, was
fired at by one of the enemy to whom
he took off his hat, and returned on a
walk. Van Rensselaer still remaining
on the south side marched west when
opposite to where Col, Brown had en-
gaged Sir John the firing was distinctly
heard as also the warwhoops of the
Canada Indians. Van Rensselaer,
about 11 o'clock a. m., halted opposite
to Peter Ehle's [in present Nelliston
village], three miles below where the
Caroga creek enters into the Mohawk
river. A few of Brown's men at this
place came running to the river and,
jumping in, forded to the south side.
As they came to the bank Van Rens-
selaer enquired of them where they
came from. One, Samuel Van Alter, a
militia officer, answered:

" 'Escaped out of Brown's battle.'

" 'How has it gone?'

" 'Col. Brown is killed with many of
his men. Are you not agoing there?'

" 'I am not acquainted with the ford-
ing place,' was Van Rensselaer's
reply.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

369

"He was answered that it was not
difficult. Van Rensselaer then asked
Van Alter if he could go before, who,
though tired, said he could.

"Col. Lewis Dubois at this moment
rode up to Gen. Van Rensselaer who
instantly mounted his horse and, as
was understood, went to Fort Plain to
take dinner with Col. Dubois. Col.
Lewe and Capt. McKean marched the
Indians and volunteers through the
river to the north side, expecting Gen.
Van Rensselaer would do the same.
Van Rensselaer's baggage wagons
were now driven into the river into a
line and stopped, reaching most of the
way across the river; his men then
commenced crossing in a single line
by getting on the back part of the first
wagon, crossing over it, walking on the
tongue between the horses, and thus to
the next wagon and so on until they
came to the end of the wagons; they
then got into the river and forded to
the north bank. In this manner they
continued crossing until four o'clock in
the afternoon when Gen. Van Rens-
selaer returned just as the last man
was over. When Gen. Van Rensselaer
came to the south bank Col. Louis
shook his sword at him and called him
a Tory and when he came to the north
bank he was addressed by William
Harper who thought by this unneces-
sary delay too great a sacrifice of prop-
erty and lives had been made. Col.
Lewis Dubois marched his regiment of
state troops into the river and crossed
in a few minutes; the cannons were
all left on the south side of the river.

"Gen. Van Rensselaer now appeared
in much haste and, being assisted by
Major Van Benschoten and Col. Du-
bois, the men were formed into three
divisions, except the Oneida Indians
and the volunteers under McKean, who
continued by themselves without any
regular order.

"Gen Van Rensselaer marched two of
his divisions on the flat ground and the
third under command of Col. Dubois
some distance above the road in the
woods. The volunteers of McKean and
the Oneida Indians, under command of
Col. Louis [the friendly Oneida chief-
tain] were directly opposed to the

Canadian Indians and Yagers. Sir
John stood fast and Gen. Van Rense-
laer advanced firing at a distance. The
Canada Indians gave the war whoop
and were answered by the Oneidas;
they rushed simultaneously forward
until near together. Col. Dubois had
no one to oppose him. Some of his
men came to the assistance of the
Oneidas and volunteers. They then
advanced upon the Canada Indians
and Yagers who fled with greatest
precipitancy crossing the road and
running in the rear of Sir John's men
on the flats to cover themselves. This
was all the fighting that was done, for,
as Johnson saw his Indians and Ya-
gers running, he fled with them, leav-
ing his men, crossed the river and es-
caped as fast as they could.

"It was now_ near evening. Major
Van Benschoten of Col. Dubois's divi-
sion was hastening to Gen. Van Rens-
selaer to request orders to fall upon
the rear of the enemy. At this mo-
ment when Sir John had fled from his
own men and they were thrown into
perfect confusion, Gen. Van Rensse-
laer marched his three divisions to the
road and, turning east, traveled back
three miles to Foxe's Fort [at Pala-
tine Church], where he encamped for
the night. Col. Louis and Capt. Mc-
Kean did not obey orders but remain-
ed that night in buildings that were
near. After dark some of the Tryon
county militia who had volunteered, as
also some of the Indians, took some
prisoners, a number of knapsacks,
guns and the field piece.

"Johnson's Greens, finding their com-
mander had deserted them, broke their
ranks and hid in a cornfield and the
regulars for some time remained in
their ranks without doing anything
and finally went in pursuit of their
officer.

"The following morning Col. Louis
and McKean crossed the river to pur-
sue the enenSy. Between 8 and 9
o'clock Gen. Van Rensselaer came back
upon the battleground. While Mc-
Kean was waiting for Gen. Van Rens-
selaer to cross the river one of his
volunteers [Thomas Sammons], hear-
ing there were some prisoners in a

370

APPENDIX

small picket fort nearby, called Ft.
Windecker, went to it where an Indian
was shot the evening before trying to
look into it. On going in he found
nine prisoners and one of them he
knew and had been a near Tory neigh-
bor. On asking him how he got there
he said he was ashamed to tell him.
The volunteer's statement was as fol-
lows:

" 'I went into Windecker's to see the
prisoners, and spoke to the prisoners,
one of them having been a near neigh-
bor of my father [by name] Peter Cass.
He also informed me they had con-
cealed themselves in a corn field till
after dark before they crossed the
river. I am satisfied if McKean and
l-iouis had us, the volunteers and In-
dians, immediately out in pursuit of the
enemy after Van Rensselaer's retreat
they would have taken two or three
hundred prisoners without much diffi-
culty. How strange it is that such
men as DuBois and Van Benschoten
obeyed orders. [Said Cass] : Last night
after the battle we crossed the river;
it was dark; we heard the word 'Lay
down your arms.' Some of us did so;
we were taken and nine of us marched
into this little fort. Seven militia took
nine of us prisoners out the rear of
about 300 of Johnson's Greens, who
were running promiscuously through
one another. I thought Van Rensse-
laer's whole army was in our rear.
Why did you not take us prisoners yes-
terday after Sir John ran off with his
Indians and left us? We wanted to
surrender.' "

"Sir John with the Indians and Yag-
ers, thinking the rest of his forces had
been taken prisoners, under cover of
the woods, directed his course for the
Onondaga lake, where his boats had
been concealed. Those he left behind
after crossing the river, continued on
the main road west until Herkimer,
where, avoiding the fort, took to the
woods and overtook Sir John before
he reached Oneida.

"Gen. Van Rensselaer, having crossed
to the south side, pursued in the direc-
tion of the enemy until he reached
[Port] Herkimer, where he was met
by Gov. Clinton. He accompanied Van
Rensselaer but did not assume the
command. Col. Louis and Cap. Mc-
Kean, being in the advance, received
positive orders from Gen. Van Rens-
selaer to advance with all possible dis-
patch, overtake and engage Johnson's

men and that he would close in the
rear and support him. Col. Louis and
McKean advanced and the next morn-
ing, coming where the trails of Sir
John's Indians and his men that fol-
lowed him met, they halted, knowing
that they were some distance in ad-
vance of Gen. Van Rensselaer, until
he should come nearer. A few were
sent forward to reconnoitre. Col. Du-
bois came to bring orders from Gen.
Van Rensselaer ordering McKean and
Col. Louis to hasten forward, engage
the enemy and assuring them of sup-
port. MeKean and Louis hastened
forward and soon came where the
enemy had just decamped leaving their
fires burning. The volunteers were
anxious to engage, but the Oneidas for
the first time hesitated. Col. Louis
shook his head and, pointing in the di-
rection of Gen. Van Rensselaer, re-
fused to advance until he should come
near. There was a halt for some time
when a Doctor Allen came up stating
that Gen. Van Rensselaer was return-
ing and was at least four miles dis-
tant and if he had not overtaken them
there would not have gone farther for
he [Allen] was just on the point of go-
ing back.

"The night previous Gen. Van Rens-
selaer sent an express to Fort Stanwix
ordering Capt. Vrooman to precede
Johnson with 100 men and burn the
boats which had been left at Onondaga
Lake. Captain Vrooman immediately
set out as directed. When he came to
Oneida one of his men pretended to be
sick and was left there. His object in
staying was to inform Sir John of
Capt. Vrooman's intention which he
did. Sir John soon came up with this
wicked informer and, knowing the de-
plorable situation in which he would
be left should his boats be burned, im-
mediately sent forward his Indians
and Butler's rangers with all possible
despatch. At Caughnawaga [not the
Montgomery county Caughnawaga, or
Fonda, but a place of the same name
in the Oneida country] they overtook
Capt. Vrooman and came upon him
when eating dinner, taking him and all
his men prisoners without firing a gun.
Sir John then proceeded unmolested

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

371

on his return, which after much fa-
tigue, he with difficulty effected, hav-
ing lost about 100 of his men killed and
taken prisoners.

"The news that Dr. Allen brought
Capt. McKean and Col. Louis, who then
had about 160 militia and Indians,
caused them to retreat as fast as they
could; overtook Gen. Van Rensselaer
at Herkimer and encamped that night
in the woods. The Tryon county mi-
litia were dismissed and the Oneida
Indians returned to Schenectady,
where they removed some time pre-
vious, and remained there until peace
was declared. [They] were always
ready in rendering many profitable ser-
vices in repelling the frequent and de-
structive incursions of the enemy.

"Gen. Van Rensselaer returned and
dismissed his men at Schenectady, Al-
bany and Claverack where they had
been enrolled. It is here proper to
add that when Sir John marched up
the south side of the Mohawk river
Gen. Van Rensselaer was very near to
him. Sir John passing Van Epps' just
before dark and Van Rensselaer en-
camping there, just after Sir John oc-
cupied the greater part of the night
in going six miles, the river separating
him from a large portion of his men;
burning a great many buildings, de-
stroying property and plundering and
laying waste the country in the very
face of Gen. Van Rensselaer. Sir
John's men were tired with their long
marches and laboring under knapsacks
heavily laden with provisions and
plunder, whereas Gen. Van Rensse-
laer's were fresh troops and unbur-
dened. The delay of Gen. Van Rens-
selaer, his orders to Col. Brown, those
to Capt. McKean and Col. Louis as also
those to Capt. Vrooman, could not
have been given in any way in which
they would have more assisted Sir
John, either in effecting his retreat or
doing injury to the country. * * * *

"When my father's buildings were
burned and my brothers taken prison-
ers the pain that I received was not
as great as this conduct on the part of
Gen. Robert Van Rensselaer.

"With regard to the battle on Klock's
farm and the facts stated in the an-

nexed papers, I would say that I joined
with Capt. McKean as a volunteer and
met Gen. Van Rensselaer on the south
side of the river, opposite Caughna-
waga, early in the morning [of Oct. 19,
1780, the day of the battle of Stone
Arabia, in the morning, and of Klock's
Field, in the evening] ; of my own
knowledge know most of the facts to
be as they are stated; stayed with the
volunteers after the battle, and had
the conversation with one of the pris-
oners in Windecker fort as is stated;
was with Capt. McKean when he had
orders to advance and overtake Sir
John, and a short time after saw Dr.
Allen who came to inquire as to why
Van Rensselaer was returning. With
regard to the route of Sir John John-
son, that [is] from those of his own
party who are now living and men of
undoubted veracity.

"THOMAS SAMMONS."
— Prom Fonda Democrat, June, 1913.

Thomas Sammons was engaged in a
number of valley Revolutionary mili-
tary movements. He was with the mi-
litia under Col. Wemple when it march-
ed to the relief of Fort Plain at the
time of Brant's raid about that post in
1780. Sammons was also in the Johns-
town battle in 1781, where he captured
a British prisoner at the end of the ac-
tion and brought him in to the Johns-
town jail, where he, Sammons, counted
37 British prisoners taken on that day.

CHAPTER XIX.

Monuments to and Portraits of Colonel
Wiiiett.

Although the editor of these chap-
ters knows of no monument erected to
the memory of Colonel Marinus Wii-
iett, in the Mohawk valley, there are
two memorials to him, erected at Al-
bany and at New York. The one in
Washington park, Albany, is a bronze
tablet, affixed to a massive boulder
and was erected by the Sons of the
Revolution. It commemorates partic-
ularly Willett's services in the defense
of the New York state frontier.

The inscription on the tablet to Col.
Willett, at the corner of Broad and

372

APPENDIX

Beaver streets, New York City, is as
follows:

"Marinus Willett: Oriskany, Mon-
mouth, Ticonderoga, Fort Stanwix,
Peekskill.

"To commemorate the gallant and
patriotic act of Marinus Willett, in
here seizing, June 6, 1775, from British
forces, the muskets with which he
armed his troops, this tablet is erected
by the Sons of the Revolution, Nov.,
1892."

There are portraits of Col. Willett
in the New York City hall and in In-
dependence Hall, Philadelphia.

CHAPTER XX.

1781 — Lieut. Wallace's Story of the
Battle of Johnstown.

The papers, collected by Hon.
Thomas Sammons, the Revolutionary
patriot, and known as "the Sammons
papers" contain an account of the bat-
tle of Johnstown by Lieutenant Wil-
liam Wallace. He was the guide who
evidently piloted the Tryon county mi-
litia detachment, under the command
of Major Rowley, to take up their po-
sition in the rear of and attack Ross's
force from behind while Col. Willett
made the frontal attack. Willett's
men were defeated but Rowley's sol-
diers made such a stubborn attack
against three times their number that
the enemy fled when Willett returned
to the attack. It would seem from
Wallace's narrative that the victory
was almost entirely due to the regulars
and local militia under Major Rowley,
who was severely wounded. The date
of the Johnstown battle was October
25, 1781.

Col. Willett's force numbered only
416 men and Ross had over 700. Hence
Willett resorted to the strategy of an
attack in front and rear at the same
time. His forces were evidently about
evenly divided, giving about 200 men
under Willett and 200 under Rowley.
The latter had 60 Massachusetts regu-
lars and about 150 Tryon county mi-
litia. Willett attacked Ross in front,
evidently before Rowley got up.
Greatly outnumbered, Willett's men
were driven back to Johnstown shortly

after which Rowley attacked Ross in
the rear with great success and when
Willett returned to the flght the enemy
fled to the woods and the American
victory of Johnstown was complete.
After Willett was reinforced in Johns-
town village by a party of Tryon mi-
litia, it is evident that over half his
force, which then numbered 500, were
Mohawk valley militiamen.

Lieut. Wallace's account is a most
interesting document relative to this
important valley campaign and it is
seemingly the best description of the
Johnstown battle that has come under
the notice of the editor of this work.
It was originally published in the Mo-
hawk Valley Democrat of Fonda, and
is here reprinted in full, as follows:

"Col. Willett, having sent Rowley on
with the militia to come in the rear of
Ross, continued his march with the
state troops on the main road through
the village of Johnstown to the Hall
farm, where Ross had arrived a little
before. When Willett advanced, Ross
fell back a short distance in the woods
[and] formed an ambush. Willett's
advance guard advanced in the woods
while Willett formed his men on the
field, with his field piece, for battle.
His advance was repulsed with some
loss. Ross ordered his men to leave
their knapsacks where the ambush
was formed and formed his men for
battle. [He] advanced up to Willett
on the field with his whole force
[and] attacked him very furious. In
a few minutes, Willett's men retreated
and run in confusion to the village of
Johnstown [and] left their field piece
with the enemy. [The enemy] pursued
Willett's men until near the village of
Johnstown, about one mile. Ross * *
"" * [did not know] the militia was
in his rear [and] expected he had de-
feated all the forces Willett had col-
lected, so Major Rowley came on them
unexpectedly, while some were as
much as a mile apart looking for
plunder. Willett and Ross had com-
menced their engagement about one
o'clock. Rowley attacked Ross about
two o'clock.

"Lieut. William Wallace, who
brought on the Tryon county militia.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

373

[had been] appointed by Col. Willett
as a pilot under the command of Major
Rowley of Massachusetts. This de-
tachment was sent from Col. Willett
[over] the road leading to the river
on the hill south of the village [of
Johnstown] and crossed the creek
near where Nicholas Yost's mill is and
went onward till some distance above
the Hall, then came downward to the
east on the north side of the Hall
creek, when, coming near or by the
clear lands they discovered the enemy
in different places on the Hall farm.

"The enemy soon formed some of
their men. Rowley's men advanced,
fired on the enemy, [and] the enemy
immediately advanced with some of
their men to the right of Rowley along
or near the Hall creek. Rowley or-
dered Wallace to meet them. Some of
the men volunteered [and] they run
to meet them. Wallace told the men
not to fire till he told them, but one of
his men fired and killed the ofRcer
[who] marched forward. When they
fired from both parties, the enemy's
detachment run. Rowley found the
enemy collected [in] considerable force
and stood. * * * [He] then re-
ceived a ball through the ankle. He
was carried back and the enemy then
retreated back of a fence from where
they were soon routed to another place
where they made a stand. The enemy,
having left some men with a field
piece they had taken from Willett, they
were also attacked by some militiamen.
They abandoned it, the ammunition
was blown up [and] the field piece was
no more used that day. The militia-
men left the cannon and fell on the
enemy [and] generally routed the
enemy; but in some part of the scrim-
maging [the enemy] drove the militia
back. None of the militia left the
field, they continued to prevent Ross
from uniting his men together and,
about sunset, Ross's men had all left
the field and the militia had gained a
complete victory. About this time
Willett returned from the village of
Johnstown. The militiamen brought
[in] about 40 prisoners, picked forth
from scattered men of Ross's men—
probably not above two or three taken
together.

"Willett, when he fell back to the
village, received about 100 of the Tryon
county militia. Why this delay of
Willett was is difficult to know — from
two to six o'clock. [He had] a much
superior force in the village to Row-
ley, after he was joined with 100 mi-
litiamen. After Major Rowley was
wounded, it is difficult to know, who
was commander. Some privates,
where small parties met, assumed
command. The officers, wherever they
were, did their duty — no confusion or
none left the field until the enemy
was completely drove from the field.

"Thus, for a second time, the militia
of Tryon county, defeated the enemy
with a very inferior number. At Oris-
kany, the enemy were two to one in a
battle of about five hours [and] were
completely drove back [and] left Her-
kimer unmolested to make biers [lit-
ters] and carry their wounded off.
With Ross left, then 250 '[American
soldiers] drove Ross from the field
with seven or 800 men — like bulldogs,
'hold fast or die with the holt' "

CHAPTER XXI.
The "Sammons papers" give an ac-
count by Jacob Timmerman of his
capture, in the Palatine district, "by
Indians who came over from Oswe-
gatchie, about 2-5 in number." This
was in 1782, while Timmerman was
out with a scouting party of six. The
Indians fired on them, killing two.
Two escaped and Timmerman, who
was wounded, and Peter Hillicos were
captured. The party took a week to
return to Oswegatchie, from whence
they were taken to Montreal, where
Timmerman was put in a hospital to
be cured of his wound. He and Hilli-
cos were afterward closely confined
until the end of hostilities.

CHAPTER XXV.
The Part Played by the Women, Chil-
dren and Youth in Mohawk Valley
History.

An effort has been made, in "The
Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle
Mohawk Valley," to give due promi-
nence to the life and events, with which

374

APPENDIX

the women and children of the valley
have been connected, as well as those
in which men have borne a part.
The editor of this work regrets that
more detailed records are not avail-
able concerning the women and their
children.

However, if the reader will look
through the foregoing chapters, he will
find much of interest and considerable
detail regarding these matters, par-
ticularly of the first two centuries after
the entrance of the white man upon
the shores of the Mohawk. The farm
life, church scenes, sport, travel, house-
hold work and details respecting the
women and children of the valley have
been given great attention.

The American women of the Revo-
lution played fully as heroic or even a
more heroic part, in that great strug-
gle, as the American men. The wo-
men frequently did the hard work of
the farms, as well as the household,
after fathers, husbands and sons had
left the homes to join the patriot
armies. This was particularly true of
the Mohawk valley and here, through-
out seven years of the most horrible
and savage border warfare, these wo-
men frequently remained on their
homesteads with their husbands and
families. When the men were called
out to do militia duty the women were
more exposed to the dangers of this
barbaric conflict than the men, for
they were left behind alone and liable
at any moment to be murdered by
lurking Tories and Indians. It is

remarkable that any of the Mohawk
valley families remained on farms dis-
tant from forts but there seem to
have been many such instances. Fre-
quently the women planted, tended and
harvested the crops — a mighty task in
the days when all farm labor was done
by hand. When Daniel Olendorf and
his wife were captured in the Minden
raid of 17S0, they were taken in his
barn, where they were "mowing away"
a load of hay. This is one incident of
many showing that women did the
hardest kind of farm work.

Nothing could be more worthy
than the erection of a suitable
monument raised in some fitting place

in the valley to the memory of the
American Revolutionary frontiersmen
of the Mohawk valley — men, women
and children. It is time that the trials
and heroism of the women of our lo-
cality of that day be fittingly recog-
nized, as well as the suffering, tragic
endings, and frequent heroism of the
little ones of the period — the Revolu-
tionary boys and girls of the Mohawk
valley. At the time of this writing
(1914) an article is announced for pub-
lication in the Herkimer Citizen deal-
ing with Revolutionary women, their
lives and heroism. This is a good
move in the right direction in the por-
trayal of a side of eighteenth century
life that has been somewhat slighted
by historical writers until recently.
History should consider the population
as a whole, without regard to sex or
age.

The word pictures of feminine life
along the Mohawk, contained herein,
are most absorbing, down through the
years, from the December day in 1634,
described by a Dutch explorer, when
"three Indian women came from the
Senecas peddling fish" to the Mohawk
village oi; Canagere (near present Can-
ajoharie). These Seneca ladies prove
most interesting as showing (in these
days of feminism) the early business
activities of the fair sex along the
Mohawk, and as suggesting that our
river and neighboring waters always
afforded poor fishing. Coming to a later
evidence of woman's industrial activ-
ity along the Mohawk, it is probable
that the first professional cheese-
maker in the valley was Mrs. Nathan
Arnold, who settled in Fairfield, Her-
kimer county, in 1785.

Among the women of whom particu-
lar mention has been made are the
following: Mrs. Guy Johnson, Mrs.
Daniel Claus, both daughters of Sir
William Johnson; Molly Brant, John-
son's second wife; Mrs. Gardinier, wife
of Capt. Gardinier of Oriskany fame;
Mrs. Samuel Campbell, wife of Col.
Samuel Campbell of Cherry Valley and
colonel of the Canajoharie battalion of
the Tryon County militia; Mrs. Samuel
Clyde, wife of Col. Clyde, acting colo-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

375

nel of the Canajoharie battalion in the
later years of the war; Mrs. Gros, wife
of Rev. Johan Daniel Gros, dominie of
the Fort Plain (Sand Hill) Reformed
Dutch church; many women of Minden
who suffered during Brant's raid of
1780, and several tragic and other in-
cidents regarding the women of the
valley, elsewhere.

Among the Minden women who en-
dured the horrors of Brant's raid were:
Mrs. Miller of Freysbush, who was
captured with a nursing infant, and
who, by main force, many times pre-
vented her weak and crying child from
being tomahawked, during the long
journey of the Minden captives to
Canada; Mrs. Pletts, another young
captive Freysbush mother, who was
"treated with marked kindness" by the
Indians on their arrival in Canada be-
cause she was "a tidy woman" and
kept her captors' household spick and
span; Mrs. George Lintner, who saved
her baby by hiding all night with it
under a hollow tree in "the bush."
When Mrs. Lintner and her infant
were safely rejoined by the rest of her
children and her husband next day she
gazed upon the ruins of her burned
homestead and said in German, "Now,
although we have lost everything but
the clothes we have on, I feel richer
than I ever did before in all my life."

Among the terrific tragic pictures, in
which women figured in this region
during the Revolution, were the dia-
bolical scenes at Cherry Valley; Mrs.
Knouts, found lying dead in her Freys-
bush dooryard after the Minden raid
with her three murdered children in
her arms, all killed by Tory and In-
dian fiends; Mrs. Dorenberger speared
to death and scalped by her own Tory
brother, while berrying along the banks
of the West Canada creek. Such were
the barbarous methods of warfare
countenanced by British and Tory mil-
itary authorities.

The red and white savages, enlisted
under the British Revolutionary colors,
murdered women and children as well
as the male and soldier population.
The women and children showed as
great (and sometimes even greater)
courage as the men.

During the entire Revolutionary war
the Schoharie valley and the Mohawk
from Amsterdam to Frankfort were
exposed to the danger of massacre by
Tories and Indians. It is very re-
markable that about 4,000 settlers were
still in this region at the end of hos-
tilities in the valley in the spring of
17S3.

In chapter III, series III., reference
is made to the need of a satisfactory
history of the Mohawk valley in the
Civil war, and it is there suggested
that our women of that time have their
part in that struggle recorded — ^both
as nurses and as homeworkers for the
soldiers at the front. The editor of
this work is not one who believes that
valley history means merely Revolu-
tionary affairs. The happenings of
yesterday and of today are as much
history as those of a century ago, so
that our valley life during the Rebel-
lion or in recent years should have its
proper place in our valley records.
Some stray thought in your neighbor's
mind, some trifling occurrence in your
community may be the tiny germ of
some large event. Great things, like
the telegraph and the steam engine
doubtless originated in some wayward
speculation in the mind of some seem-
ingly obscure individual in some ob-
scure locality. Let us not forget that
"all the world's a stage."

The schoolboys of today and mem-
bers of the Boy Scouts will find in
these pages, many instances of the
heroism and exciting adventures of the
boys of long ago. The boy of today
will read with interest how Francis
Putman, a fifteen-year-old lad, cap-
tured Lieut. Hare, a most bloodthirsty
Tory, who was subsequently hung by
General Clinton on Academy Hill in
Canajoharie; how Jacob Dievendorf, a
lad of ten, was captured at Currytown,
scalped after the battle of Sharon, re-
covered and lived almost eighty years
afterward; how John Gremps, a fif-
teen-year-old soldier of Palatine,
fought with his elders at Oriskany
(probably like a number of others but
little older) and came unhurt from the
battlefield; how the boys of Minden
were killed, captured and escaped

376

APPENDIX

from the savages during Brant's "Min-
den raid of 1780; and lastly, to lend a
humorous touch to these bloody rec-
ords, we have the good story of the
Nelliston boy who was the first to
greet Atwood, the aviator, when he
alighted there on his St. Louis to New
York trip in 1911. When asked by At-
wood where he had landed, the lad re-
plied: "In the Nellis pasture," an
answer that should go down into his-
tory as a bit of geographical informa-
tion to an airman who had slidden
down out of the clouds after a hun-
dred-mile flight.

Probably among the incidents of
Washington's valley trip in 1783, which
pleased him was that of the company
of Fort Plain schoolboys who, lined up
along the road by the good wife of
Dominie Gros, gave the General a
rousing cheer as he rode up the hill to
the fort; also at Cherry Valley where
he saw and talked with the boys of the
heroic Mrs. Campbell, all of whom had
been captives of the Indians in Canada
or at Niagara.

Concerning the little girls of the
Revolution we also know considerable.
Simms has preserved for us many in-
teresting details of them during the
Minden raid of 1780, those details
which give us such an insight, not only
into the horrors but into the life of the
Revolution. We also have the dra-
matic incident of the captive ten-
year-old Magadelena Martin, who rode
on a horse behind the fiendish Walter
Butler, on a cold October night of
1780 (when Johnson made his great
raid up the valley), and who warmed
her cold little hands in Butler's fur-
lined pockets.

One of the most pathetic incidents
of the Revolution in the valley was the
return of Capt. Veeder and his com-
pany from the battlefield of Sharon,
tenderly bearing on litters back to Fort
Plain, two poor little children — a boy
and a girl — scalped by the fiends whom
Willett's men drove from the field.
Fate deals queer cards, for Jacob Diev-
endorf, the boy, lived for seventy-nine
years after that dreadful day, while
the little girl, Mary Miller, passed away
in the arms of a soldier who was giv-

ing her a drink from his canteen as the
party neared Fort Plain.

When we consider the rage that must
have filled the valley's fighting men at
these many diabolical deeds done by
the enemy, we are filled with wonder
that they never made a single re-
prisal in revenge on the wives and
children of Tories who lingered in the
valley throughout the war. Truly our
American fighting men of the Revolu-
tion were as high types of civilization
as the world has seen before or since.

To offset these tragic stories we have
more amusing and entertaining details
such as the old-fashioned picture of
little seven-year-old Anne McVicar
(who later wrote the famous "Memoirs
of An American Lady") sitting all day
in a Mohawk river batteaux, propelled
slowly upstream by the red-coated
British soldiers of her father's com-
pany; also her visit to King Hen-
drick's son at Indian Castle, when
"the monarch smiled, clapped my head
and ordered me a little basket, very
pretty and filled by his son with dried
berries."

Campfire Girls take notice of the fol-
lowing:

Among the many dramatic incidents
of Brant's raid about Fort Plain in
1780, are those concerning the young
Bettinger, Strobeck and Sitts girls,
who were captured and taken to Can-
ada, where they liked life among the
Indians so well that they refused to re-
turn and remained north and married
red husbands (such instances were not
uncommon in our early history) ; the
five-year-old Sophia Sitts (who was
taken in Brant's Minden raid but re-
leased by her squaw captor because the
little girl was too much of a burden to
carry pickaback) who became one of
the best harvest hands of her section
(in a day when women worked with
men on the farm) and who lived to the
great age of 108; and lastly, the little
five-year-old girl, Evan Myers, who
was made a prisoner the same day and
thought her life was spared, because,
unlike her little brothers (who- were
killed), when she was captured, as she
subsequently told it, "I did not cry."

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

377

Appleton's Encyclopedia says that,
of the 231,000 Continental or regular
American troops engaged in the Revo-
lution, New York state furnished 17,-
800. New York in the Revolution
gives the number of New York state
Revolutionary militia 51,972, the latter
being the correct figure.

SERIES II.

CHAPTER I.

1784 — First Permanent Settlement of
Oneida County — New England im-
migration.

In 1784 the first permanent white set-
tlement was made in Oneida county.
Johannes Roof settled at Fort Stan-
wix about 1760, a few years after the
construction of that advanced outpost.
On St. Leger's approach in 1777,' Roof
was forced to abandon his farm and
moved down the valley to the General
Herkimer place. Later he settled at
Canajoharie where he kept tavern
when General Clinton was there in
1779 and during General Washington's
visit in 1783. In 1784 the first consid-
erable settlement was made in Oneida
county at Whitestown. Utica and
Rome were permanently settled a few
years later. When Elkanah Watson
made his first Mohawk river journey in
1788 the river section of Oneida county
was practically a "howling" wilderness
with the exception of a few settlements
and clearings. The "howling" was ac-
tual as the wolves made sleep almost
impossible with their night howling.
Utica took on its first importance as
being located at a river ford and when
a bridge was built here and a road
opened westward to "the Indian coun-
try" its future was assured. Then as
now it became the hub of a series of
roads (and later railroads) running
north, east, south and west. Rome
grew up on the site of Fort Schuyler
(first called Fort Stanwix) and was
important as being located at the carry
from the Mohawk into Wood creek.
Oneida county is about the size of the
state of Rhode Island and its first set-
tlers, after the Revolution, were large-
ly from New England. These "Yan-

kees" also settled largely in Herkimer
and Fulton counties at points more or
less distant from the Mohawk, as these
river lands were already occupied.
Montgomery, Schoharie and Schenec-
tady received less of this immigration.
Utica, Rome and Oneida county grew
rapidly in population, trade, agricul-
ture and industry, after 1800, and
Oneida soon became the most populous
of the six Mohawk valley counties.
Today (1914) over a third of the popu-
lation of the Mohawk valley is located
in Oneida county, and the latter forms
a very important link in the industrial
chain extending from Cohoes to Rome,
along the banks of the Mohawk. Onei-
da is also the most important agri-
culturally of the six Mohawk valley
counties.

CHAPTER VI.

Elkanah Watson's Mohiawk River Trips
of 1788 and 1791— His Views on and
Efforts for Improved Mohawk River
Navigation.

Elkanah Watson was a wide trav-
eler and "gentleman of leisure"
of Providence, R. I. Watson was
greatly interested in canals, a subject
which was generally discussed in the
latter eighteenth century, and he had
observed many of the old world arti-.
ficial waterways. About 1788, while
traveling in the Mohawk valley he
took note of the commercial possibili-
ties of that stream, as many public-
spirited men had before him, and soon
he began to propose, through the
press, its improvement. In Septem-
ber, 1791, a party, piloted by Mr. Wat-
son, covered the line of the improved
waterway he had advocated. It con-
sisted of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer,
Gen. P. Van Cortland, Stephen N. Bay-
ard and Watson. They left Albany
and went to Schenectady, where they
hired two batteaux, engaged six men
and laid in a stock of provisions to
last six weeks. The flatboats went up
the river to Fort Herkimer where they
were joined by the four principals
who went thence by land. The whole
party went to Fort Stanwix by river,
where the two mile carry was made

378

APPENDIX

into Wood creek. The bargemen took
the two batteaux through this water-
way to Oneida lake, a very difficult
and obstructed piece of navigation,
used however by the Mohawk river
boats of the time. The investigating
party proceeded through Oneida lake
into Oswego river and investigated
Seneca river, Onondaga, Seneca and
Cayuga lakes. They satisfied them-
selves of the feasibility of the improve-
ments proposed by Watson. They se-
cured the influential assistance of Gen.
Philip Schuyler and in 1792 the Inland
Lock Navigation Co. was organized
with Gen. Schuyler as president. In
the face of great difficulties the im-
provement of the Mohawk river was
carried through and completed from
Oneida lake to Schenectady, in 1796.
This included a canal and five locks
at Little Falls with a 441/2 ft. lift. The
canal was 4,752 feet long and 2,550
feet of this was through solid rock.
At Wolf's Rift, below Ft. Herkimer,
was a canal 1% miles long with three
locks. At Rome a canal 1% miles long
connected the Mohawk with Wood
creek on which there were four locks.
See Chapter VI., Series II.

The labors of Elkanah Watson
make him as much the "father" of
New York state inland navigation as
anyone, his being the first practical
efforts for state waterway improve-
ment. Watson was born in Massa-
chusetts in 1758 and died at Port Kent,
Lake Champlain, 1842, aged 84 years.

Watson kept a diary of his journeys
through the Mohawk valley in 17SS
and in 1791. In 1856 Mr. W. C. Wat-
son published a memoir of his father,
Elkanah Watson, under the title
"Men and Times of the Revolution, or
Memoirs of Elkanah Watson." This
contained summaries or verbatim ex-
tracts from journals of the elder Wat-
son's interesting travels. In 1788, El-
kanah Watson visited Hudson, Albany,
Schenectady and Johnstown, and at
the latter place learned of the great
Indian council shortly to occur at Fort
Schuyler, or Stanwix as it was still
generally called. He resolved to at-
tend it and proceeded from Johns-
town, northward.

His memoirs contain the following
concerning this, his first valley trip of
1788:

"The country between Schenectady
and Johnstown was well settled by a
Dutch population, generally in a pros-
perous condition." The Watson me-
moirs further say:

From Johnson Hall, he proceeded up
the Mohawk, through a rich region,
under high cultivation and adorned
by luxuriant clover pastures. This
lovely valley was almost on a level
with the river and was bounded on the
north by a lofty range of hills, whose
cliffs at times seemed impending over
him. The fields were only separated
by gates, with no fences on the road-
sides. The beauty of the country, the
majestic appearance of the adjacent
mountains, the state of advanced ag-
riculture, exhibited in a long succes-
sion of excellent farms, and the rich
fragrancy of the air, redolent with the
perfume of the clover, all combined to
present a scene he was not prepared
to witness on the banks of the Mo-
hawk.

The territory, known as the German
Plats, had been long inhabited and
was densely occupied by a German
population. This people had suffered
severely during the War of Independ-
ence, from the ravages of the TTories
and Indians and had been nearly ex-
tirpated. Their safety was only se-
cured by the erection of numerous
block houses, which were constructed
in commanding positions, and often
mounted with cannon. Many of these
structures were yet standing, and were
seen in every direction.

On this trip, Watson suffered from
hunger, on account of the scarcity of
taverns, in the upper valley. He
stopped at Whitesboro, then a consid-
erable settlement of log houses. At
Oriskany he passed several hundred
Indians and visited the battlefield, pi-
loted by two German settlers, and saw
the ground strewn with human bones.
Beyond Oriskany he rode alone
through a band of drunken, half-naked
Indians, who danced, whooping and
yelling, about him. He finally reached
Fort Stanwix and found "the whole
plain around the fort covered with In-
dians of various tribes, male and fe-
male. Many of the latter were fan-
tastically dressed in their best attire —
in the richest silks, fine scarlet clothes
bordered with gold fringe, a profusion
of brooches, rings in their noses, their

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

379

ears slit, and their heads decorated
with feathers. Among them I noticed
some very handsome countenances and
fine figures."

Watson secured quarters in the gar-
ret of the dwelling where Gov. Clinton
and the eight New York Commission-
ers were housed, and attended all the
doings at this celebrated Indian coun-
cil, in which the red men were forced
to give up their title to their lands in
New York state and farther west —
about 4,000,000 acres. While here
Watson examined the carry into Wood
Creek, and started on a western water-
way voyage but was turned back by a
heavy rain.

Of his return trip down the Mohawk,
Watson says in part: "My curiosity
satisfied, I sent my horse towards Al-
bany and embarked on board a return-
ing bateau, and proceeded down the
Mohawk to Little Falls, anxious to ex-
amine that place with an eye to canals.
We abandoned ourselves to the cur-
rent of the river, which, with the aid
of our oars, impelled us at a rapid
rate. We met numerous bateaux com-
ing up the river, freighted with whole
families, emigrating to the 'land of
promise.' I was surprised to observe
the dexterity with which they manage
their boats, and the progress they
make in poling up the river, against a
current of at least three miles an hour.
The first night we encamped at a log
hut on the banks of the river and the
next morning I disembarked at Ger-
man Flats." From here he returned
to Albany.

Watson's journal, of the Mohawk
river investigating committee of 1791,
is intensely interesting to Mohawk
valley people as it describes pioneer
conditions along the Mohawk. His re-
marks in regard to the "Mohawk
Dutch" (for this term included both
the High and Low Dutch) must be
considered in the light of the fact that
he was a cultured New Englander, that
he was considering a different race
whose very rude strength had aided in
their partial conquest of the wilder-
ness, and also that his enthusiasm for
the "rudiments of literature" was not
shared by a people who were schooled

only in the rudiments of frontier life
and had no time for anything else.
While a majority of the valley people
of 1791 were crude, rough and unlet-
tered they also possessed many sterl-
ing qualities. There were also among
them men of education, keen percep-
tions, and strong, solid intellectual
powers. Watson came through west-
ern Montgomery county by way
of Johnstown, through Stone Arabia to
Caroga creek and thence up the val-
ley. He was an observer of wide ex-
perience and his picture of frontier
life on the Mohawk river in 1791 is
perhaps the most valuable in exist-
ence, as it showed conditions as they
generally existed here throughout the
eighteenth century. It is to be re-
gretted that his journal of his travels
up and down the valley cannot be
given verbatim. His entries are largely
summarized by his son. Wherever his
journal has reference to the Mohawk
valley it is here reprinted (from the
Memoirs of 1856) in full. The first
verbatim entry, of the 1791 journey,
was evidently written at Palatine
Church, Sept. 4, 1791. The following
are verbatim extracts:

1791, Sept. 4 — We proceeded on our
journey with a miserably covered
wagon, and in a constant rain, until
night, which brought us to Major
Schuyler's mills in Palatine [on Caroga
creek at Palatine Church], settled by
the descendants of German emigrants,
intermingling on all sides with the en-
terprising Sons of the East [New Eng-
landers] between whom mutual preju-
dices ran high. These feelings will
gradually be overcome by intermar-
riages and other modes of intercourse.
Thus far the German and Dutch far-
mers have been, in a manner, totally
remiss in cultivating the first rudi-
ments of literature, while the descend-
ants of the English in New England
have cherished it as a primary duty.
Hence the characteristics of each peo-
ple are distinctly variant. * * * •
I have noticed with pleasure that the
German farmers begin to use oxen in
agriculture instead of horses. For this
salutary improvement they are in-
debted to the New England men.

I am induced to believe, should the
Western canals ever be made, and the
Mohawk River become, in one sense, a
continuation of the Hudson River by
means of canals and locks, that it will
most clearly obviate the necessity of
sending produce to market in winter

380

APPENDIX

by sleighs [then the general custom,
the farmers going to Albany in winter
with the surplus products they had for
sale]. On the contrary, it would be
stored oh the margin of the Mohawk
in winter, and be sent, in the summer
months, by batteaux, to be unloaded
aboard vessels in the Hudson.

The bottoms or lowlands along the
'Mohawk are laid off into rich inclo-
sures, highly cultivated, principally by
industrious Germans. Narrow roads
and contracted bridges still exist.

Oh the south side of the river the
country is thicker settled and many
pleasant situations, old farms, and
wealthy farmers appear, but these evi-
dently are far behind those of Germany
or England in the profitable science of
agriculture. We crossed a new wooden
bridge [over the Caroga creek] near
Schuyler's Mills, 75 feet long, with a
single arch supported by framed work
above. I was glad to notice this an
enterprising wedge to more extended
improvements.

[1791] Sept. 7. — ^This morning we as-
cended Fall Hill, over a craggy road of
one mile. From its summit we com-
manded an extensive and picturesque
view of the surrounding country in the
north, partly settled, but generally in
nature's original brown livery, spotted
here and there by an opening. We
left Little Falls on our right and de-
scended into the rich settlement of
German Flats. At Eldridges tavern,
near Fort Herkimer, we overtook our
batteau, all well and embarked the
same evening, stemming fourteen miles
against a strong current, with an
awning spread over our heads. Each
boat was manned by three men, two
in the bow and one in the stern to
steer. They occasionally rowed in
still water, setting,, with short poles at
the rapids, with surprising dexterity.
In this mode their average progress is
three miles an hour, equal to truck-
shute travelling in Holland; but it is
exceedingly laborious and fatiguing to
the men. At night we encamped in a
log. hut on the margin of the river.

[17&1] Sept. 8— A pleasant sail of
ten miles this fine morning brought us
to Old Fort Schuyler. Here we were
joined by Gen. Van Cortland and Mr.
Bayard, who were waiting for us,
which completes our number to thir-
teen.

From Little Falls, thus far, the river
is nearly competent to inland naviga-
tion, with the exception of a serious
rapid and a great bend at the German
Flats, called Wolf-riff, which must be
subdued, either by a cut across the
neck of land, vipward of one mile, or
by removing the obstructions.

An Indian road being opened from
this place [later Uticn] to the Gene-
see country, it is probable that the po-
sition of Fort Stanwix and this spot

will become rivals as the site of a
town, in connection with the interior,
when it shall have become a settled
country. If, however, the canals
should be constructed, I think Fort
Stanwix will take the lead at a future
day. Such was my impression when
here in 1788. Since then only a few
houses and stores have been erected
here, also a tolerable tavern to admin-
ister comfort to the weary traveler,
which I experienced the want of three
years past.

In the afternoon we progressed thir-
teen miles, meeting many obstructions
in consequence of the cruel conduct
of the new settlers, who are wonder-
fully increased since I was here [three
years before], filling the river with
fallen trees cut on its margin, narrow-
ing it in many places, producing shoals
where the deepest waters had been ac-
customed to flow, and impeding the
progress of our boats. We pitched our
Camp on the right hand bank of the
river in the midst of woods. We soon
had a roaring fire and our tents pitched
— open on ohe side to the fire and
closed at each end with canvas. We
found an excellent substitute for
feathers, laying our buffaloes on hem-
lock twigs; although the ground was
moist we were effectually protected
from any inconvenience. We enjoyed
a pleasant night, with ten times more
comfort than we could in the miser-
able log huts along the banks of the
river.

[1791] Sept. 9. — At noon we reached
Fort Stanwix, to which place, with
some aid of art, the river continues
adapted to inland navigation for boats
of five tons burthen. Emigrants are
swarming into these fertile regions in
shoals, like the ancient Israelites seek-
ing the land of promise.

We transported our boats and bag-
gage across the carrying place, a dis-
tance of two miles, over a dead flat
and launched into Wood Creek, run-
ning west. It is a mere brook at this
place, w-hich a man can easily jump
across.

In contemplating this important
creek as the only water communica-
tion with the immense regions in the
West, which are destined to bless mil-
lions of freemen in the approaching
century, I am deeply impressed with
a belief, considering the great re-
sources of this State, that the im-
provement of our internal navigation
cannot much longer escape the atten-
tion of our law-makers, and more es-
pecially as it is obviously practicable.
When effected, it wiH open an unin-
terrupted water communication from
the immense fertile regions in the
West to the Atlantic.

Sept. 10, 1791, Watson and party be-
gan to descend Wood creek, to Oneida

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

381

lake, a most tortuous stream and dif-
ficult piece of navigation, so narrow
that the bow and stern of a batteau
scraped opposite banks in making the
turns, obstructed by logs in the stream
and crossed by boughs and limbs so
closely overhead that in some places
it obliged "all hands to lie flat."

On Sept. 12 they reached the Royal
block-house at the east end of Oneida
lake. Sept. 13 they "wrote home by a
boat coming from the west loaded with
hemp, raised at the south end of Cay-
uga lake." Sept. 14 they came to Fort
Brewerton at the entrance to the pres-
ent Oneida river, after sailing down
Oneida lake, which evoked the warm-
est admiration from Mr. Watson, al-
though he found it "extremely turbu-
lent and dangerous."

Watson's journal is replete with sur-
mises and prophecies on the future of
United States internal waterway navi-
gation, much of which has come to
pass. The influence of what one In-
telligent, energetic man, with imagi-
nation and a working control of his
specialty, can achieve is seen in the
improved Mohawk river which Wat-
son's efforts brought about, and which,
in itself led up to the Erie and the
Barge canal. All honor to Elkanah
Watson!

CHAPTER VII.

1800 (About)— The Mohawk and Al-
bany Pikes — Toll Gates.

Rufus A. Grider's paper on "The Mo-
hawk Turnpike," says that, the Great
Western turnpike started from Al-
bany and ran, by way of Carlisle,
Cherry Valley, Otsego, Chenango,
Owego, Dannsville, Aurora, to Buffalo.

In 1790 the first mail stage west of
Schenectady ran from • Albany to
Schenectady, Johnstown and Canajo-
harie each week. The fare was three
cents per mile. In 1792 the route was
extended to Fort Plain, Old Fort
Schuyler (now Utica) and Whites-
town, every two weeks. In 1794 the
line was further extended to Geneva
and Canandaigua. Stage fares of this
period, generally averaged about four
cents a mile.

The Mohawk and Hudson turnpike
(chartered in 1797) from Albany to
Schenectady was a fine macadamized
road lined with poplars. The Mohawk
turnpike (chartered 1800) was of
broken stone, sixty feet wide, with a
center raised eighteen inches above
the sides. There were twelve toll gates
on this pike, four of them being lo-
cated in western Montgomery county.
Mr. Grider gives their location as fol-
lows:

1. Schenectady. • ■ •

2. Cranesville.

3. Caughnawaga (now Fonda).

4. Schenck's Hollow (near the north
side Nose, now the Montgomery eoun^
ty home).

5. Junction of Wagner's Hollow
road in Palatine (a short distance
east).

6. Caroga creek (short distance
east).

7. St. Johnsville (lower end).

8. East Creek bridge (west end).

9. Fink's Ferry (at Fall Hill).

10. West Canada Creek (Herkimer).

11. Sterling (six miles east of Utica).

12. Utica (formerly Old Fort Schuy-
ler).

In 1811 a fast line ran, day and
night, from Albany to Buffalo, in three
days. The horses were trotted al-
most continuously and were changed
every nine to twelve miles. Four
coaches were sent east and four
coaches west by this line daily.

Over 200 automobiles were counted
in one hour passing westward through
the village of Nelliston on a summer
Sunday afternoon in 1914 over the Mo-
hawk turnpike.

"Everyman's Literary and Historical
Atlas of North and South America"
gives an interesting map of the early
highways of the United States from
east to west. The principal ones noted
are the Iroquois trail and Genesee road
(the Mohawk turnpike and Genegee
road from Albany to Buffalo with an
extension to Boston) ; the Philadelphia
to Pittsburg turnpike; the Washington
to Cumberland to Wheeling road (later
extended to Indianapolis and St.
Louis) ; the Richmond to Cumberland
Gap to Louisville road. Of these the
"Iroquois trail" was the principal, one

382

APPENDIX

and the only one (as it is today) which
afforded practically continuous water
communication (as well as land com-
munication) with the Great Lakes
region. The Iroquois trail also extended
eastward from the junction of the
Hoosac river with the Hudson to Mas-
sachusetts bay. This was also called
the Mohawk trail.

CHAPTER XI.

1914 — Mohawk Valley Railroads —
Railroad Development.

There are coal pockets on the New
York Central's Mohawk division at St.
Johnsville and coal pockets were es-
tablished on the West Shore at Indian
Castle in 1913. The West Shore di-
vision of the New York Central has a
foundry located at Frankfort. Schen-
ectady, Fonda, Herkimer, Utica and
Rome are important railroad centers
in the Mohawk valley.

In 1914 the invention was announced
of an electrically propelled railroad
system capable of a speed of 300 miles
an hour.

The following is of interest as mark-
ing a stage in the development of rail-
road freight transportation in the Mo-
hawk valley:

The longest freight train that ever
ran over the New York Central rail-
road passed through the Mohawk val-
ley, Monday morning, May 18, 1914.
The train was composed of 125 cars
some of which were loaded, while
others were empty. One engine hauled
them.

The train was known as a "test
train." For some time past, the N. Y.
C. has been trying to determine how
many cars an engine would haul, and
it was believed that the limit was 125.
The trial May 18 appeared to be suc-
cessful as the big load rode easily.

The 125 cars made a train about one
mile in length. Each car will average
40 feet in length or a total of 5,000
feet. Neither caboose nor engine were
included in the 125 cars and these are
about one hundred feet in length, or
making an estimated total length of
the train as over 5 100 feet. If loaded
to capacity, the train carried about

3,750 tons or a little more than two
tandem canal barges are expected to
haul.

In 1914 an Erie railroad freight lo-
comotive drew 250 loaded freight cars.

It may fittingly here be remarked
that the American railroads are in a
critical condition at the time of the
issuance of this work, 1914. Increased
operating expenses and frequently past
financial irregularities have made it
barely possible for the roads to earn
expenses. Increased rates and l^etter
financial methods will doubtless bring
future improvement.

SERIES III.

CHAPTER I.

Mohawk Valley Governors, Yates
1823-5; Bouck, 1843-5; Seymour,
1853-5, 1863-5— Vice President Sher-
man, 1908-12.

The Hudson valley, of which the
Mohawk forms a part, has given two
presidents to the United States — Van
Buren and Roosevelt. The Mohawk
valley has furnished three governors
to New York state — Yates of Schenec-
tady, Bouck of Schoharie and Seymour
of Oneida — and one presidential candi-
date, Seymour, who ran as a Demo-
crat against Grant, Republican, in
1868, and one vice president, Sherman
of Oneida.

Governor Joseph C. Yates was born
in Schenectady in 1768. He was a
founder of Union college, the first
mayor of Schenectady after it was
made a city in 1798 and governor of
New York, 1823-25. He died in 1837.
Yates county was named for him.

William C. Bouck was the second
governor of New York state from the
Mohawk valley. He was born at Ful-
ton, Schoharie county, in 1786. He was
a lawyer, member of assembly, 1814-15-
17, and a state senator in 1819. He
was colonel of the 18th N. Y. infan-
try, a member of the state canal board
and a superintendent of a section of
the Erie canal under construction,
1817-25. He was canal commissioner
for 19 years. In 1840 he was the un-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

383

successful Democratic candidate for
governor and in 1842 he was elected.
He was a member of the constitutional
convention of 1846 and treasurer of
New York customs, 1846-9, after which
he resumed the occupation of a farmer.
He died in 1859, aged 73 years. Bouck's
Falls, in Schoharie county, was named
for his family by the historian Simms.

Horatio Seymour was born at Pom-
pey, Onondaga county, in 1810. In
childhood his farhily removed to
Utica, Oneida county, where Mr. Sey-
mour made his home for the rest of
his life. He became a lawyer in 1832,
although he did not actively practise
as he was engaged principally in the
management of a large estate inherited
from his father. Seymour was elected
as a Democrat to the New York state
assembly in 1841 and for three suc-
ceeding terms, being speaker in 1845.
He was mayor of Utica in 1842 and an
unsuccessful Democratic candidate for
governor in 1850. He was elected gov-
ernor in 1853, serving till 1855. In 1862
he was again elected and became one
of the famous "war governors," heart-
ily supporting the union. He was de-
feated for re-election in 1864. In 1868,
against his wishes, Seymour was nom-
inated for the presidency by the Dem-
ocratic party and was defeated by U.
S. Grant, who received 214 electoral
votes to Seymour's 80. He died at
Utica in 1886, aged 75 years. Governor
Seymour was a learned and entertain-
ing writer on Mohawk valley history
and an eloquent orator. He frequently
spoke at valley patriotic gatherings
and his addresses at such times are
local historical classics. Seymour in-
spired Frederic to the writing of "In
the Valley."

The Mohawk valley has furnished
one vice president to the United States
— James S. Sherman of Utica, Oneida
county. Mr. Sherman was born in
Utica in 1855 and died there in 1912,
aged 57 years. He served as congress-
man from the Oneida district for a
number of years and was nominated
on the Republican presidential ticket
of 1908 and elected with William H.
Taft, the nominee for president. He
was renominated with Taft on the Re-

publican ticket of 1912, but died before
the election.

The Hudson valley, of which the
Mohawk forms a part, furnished the
following vice presidents to the United
States: George Clinton, qualified 1805;
Martin Van Buren, qualified 1833;
Schuyler Colfax, qualified 1869; Theo-
dore Roosevelt, qualified 1901; James
S. Sherman, qualified 1909. Of these
five, Van Buren and Roosevelt subse-
quently became presidents. Eight of
the twenty-eight vice presidents came
from New York state and four presi-
dents, of the twenty-seven who have
served from Washington in 1789 to
Wilson in 1914.

CHAPTER IV.

Prospective Barge Canal Commerce.

The 1910 tonnage of two of the great
canals of the world is given in this
chapter as follows: Sault Ste. Marie
(connecting Lakes Huron and Super-
ior), 36,395,687; Suez. 23,054,901. Their
1912 tonnage, according to the N. Y.
World almanac, was Sault Ste. Marie,
72,472,676; Suez, 20,125,120. The 1913
tonnage of vessels engaged in traffic
on the Great Lakes was 2,949,924, al-
most double that of 1900. The com-
merce of our inland seas is growing at
such a rate that even the foregoing
figures will doubtless be surpassed in
a few years. This "Soo" canal car-
ries only part of this traffic as that cTf
Lake Michigan does not pass through
it. Its commerce is almost four times
that of Suez. It is reasonable to sup-
pose that a very large part of the
Great Lakes traffic will find an outlet
through the Barge canal, and that its
tonnage will exceed that of Suez and
of Panama. It is human nature to be
fascinated by fireworks rather than
solid achievement and so we see the
Panama canal, with its picturesque and
romantic features, receive the widest
publicity in the American press while
the Barge canal, fully as great and
interesting a work, is practically ig-
nored. We all remember the proverb
of a prophet being honored save in
his own country and, if a canal very
similar to the Panama canal was be-

384

APPENDIX

ing constructed in our populous east-
ern states, it would probably get as
little public attention as the Barge
canal receives. The latter work also
suffers from the fact that the more
spectacular Panama canal is being
built at the same time as our big state
waterway.

The Barge canal in the Mohawk val-
ley is practically the Mohawk river. So,
indeed, was the Erie canal which was
virtually a side stream of the Mohawk,
as the latter furnished most of the
water for that artificial river.

A ship canal has been several times
proposed from Waterford on the Hud-
son to Oswego on Lake Ontario,
by way of the Mohawk, Oneida lake,
Oneida river and Oswego river. Its
length would be about 170 miles, 110
of which would be through the Mo-
hawk valley, from Waterford to Rome.

The Barge Canal Bulletin, Series VI.,
1913 (December, 1913), published a very
interesting map with regard to the
Barge canal. This showed that, within
two miles of the Barge canal and its
natural extensions, the Hudson river
and Lake Champlain, there lived 73%
per cent of the population of the state,
within five miles of these waterways
lived 77 per cent of New York's popu-
lation, and within twenty miles, 87
per cent of the state's people. This
twenty-mile strip constituted 46 per
cent of New York state's territory.

• Fully 80 per cent, or about 400,000 of
the probable 1915 population of 500,000
in the Mohawk valley and the six Mo-
hawk valley counties, is located within
5 miles of the Barge canal.

Barge canal types of boats are not
(1914) definitely decided upon, accord-
ing to the Barge Canal Bulletin. They
may be of from 3,000 tons downward,
the idea being for one motor engine or
power boat to draw about 3,000 tons
through the locks without breaking up
the boats. Barges of 1,500 tons, to run
tandem, or of about 800 tons each, to
run in quadruplets (one to be a power
boat) are probable types. The lockage
capacity of the Barge canal will be
about six times that of the old Erie.
This is sufficient for present needs;
time alone will show whether it will

take care of the east-west waterway
commerce of the future.

The year of the publication of this
work (1914) marks an era of the prac-
tical finishing of three great American
canal projects. In July, 1914, the Cape
Cod canal, giving inside water route
communication between New York
and Boston was opened. The Panama
canal, early in 1914, passed boats on
trial trips and the New York State
Barge canal was largely completed
and the expectations were that it
would be open for traffic in 1915.

Forty of the sixty-two counties of
New York state directly abut upon
or are crossed by the Barge canal of
New York state. These forty coun-
ties had a population combined of
7,911,000 (in 1910) as compared with
the 1910 New York state population of
9,113,000 and a U. S. population of 92,-
000,000. Seven counties of New Jer-
sey border the Hudson river section of
the Barge canal or are located on its
immediate terminal waters, thus mak-
ing forty-seven counties of the two
states which are directly served by
this great waterway. It is well to ob-
serve how largely this important
world canal serves the great majority
of the New York state territory and
its population, a matter which is fre-
quently overlooked by many in consid-
ering canal questions.

The forty New York state Barge
canal counties as before stated, have
a population of 7,911,000, while the
seven New Jersey Barge canal coun-
ties have a population of 1,753,000,
making a combined New York-New
Jersey population served by the Barge
canal of 9,644,000 (in 1910).

To the New York state territory
open to the commerce of the canal can
very properly be added the counties of
Chautauqua, Jefferson, St. Lawrence,
Nassau and Suffolk, which reach the
Barge canal through navigable adja-
cent waters on Lake Erie, Lake On-
tario, St. Lawrence river and Long
Island Sound. Including these coun-
ties would give forty- five New York
state Barge canal counties out of a
total of sixty-two, or about 80 per

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

385

cent of the state's territory accessible
to the canal. These forty-five New
York state Barge canal counties have
a combined population of 8,413,000 out
of a New York state population of
9,113,000. Including the seven New-
Jersey Barge canal counties, the fifty-
two New York-New Jersey Barge
canal counties had a total population
of 10,166,000 in 1910.

The entire New York state popula-
tion of the forty-five Barge canal
counties can safely be estimated in
1915 as about 9,400,000. Estimating
the 1915 population of the five New
Jersey Barge canal counties at 2,000,-
000, would give a combined population
of the fifty-two New York-New Jer-
sey Barge canal counties of 11,400,000
for the year of the canal's opening
(1915). The most important sec-
tions, commercially and industrially of
New York and New Jersey are served
by the new waterway. Extensions of
the canal are projected which would
add three more counties to the canal
territory — Chemung, Tioga, Broome.
Steuben and Lewis could be added to
this list by possible extensions, mak-
ing forty-eight New York state coun-
ties which would be within the Barge
canal territory. Of course a much
greater territory of the United States
and Canada is covered by this New
York state waterway and over half of
the United States and a population of
75,000,000 or more will directly or in-
directly be accessible to the transpor-
tation advantages of this great water
freight route. Persons interested in
the ramifications of this canal should
send to the office of the State Engi-
neer and Surveyor, Albany, New York,
for the small canal map of the state of
New York. Of course the entire At-
lantic sea coast and its navigable rivers
are open to the commerce of the Barge
canal barges.

Twenty miles of the left bank of the
lower Hudson lies in New Jersey, also
the western and southern shore lines
of upper and lower New York bay. It
is the desire of this work to show the
natural geographical, industrial, com-
mercial and social American divisions
rather than the artificial ones and in

this case the subdivision of these im-
portant waters by the purely imagin-
ary boundaries of states is misleading
and somewhat ridiculous.

The seven New Jersey Barge canal
counties comprise one-fifth of the ter-
ritory of that state and two-thirds of
its population. The portions of these
counties on navigable waters con-
necting with New York bay. New
York city and the lower part of West-
chester county, are all generally
spoken of as the "Metropolitan Dis-
trict." By the census of 1910 this area
had a population of 6,400,000 in round
numbers. In 1915, the year of the ex-
pected opening of the Barge canal, its
population will be, as estimated, about
7,500,000. It is estimated that New
York city alone grew over eight hun-
dred thousand between 1910 and 1915.
Its 1915 population is estimated at
over 5,600,000. All of the meropolitan
district lies within twenty-five miles
of the New York city hall.

For an idea of the possibilities of a
still greater waterway see Chapter V.,
Series II. of "The Story of Old Fort
Plain." Attention is also called to the
map of the rivers of New York state
(published at the front of the book)
which shows very clearly how a re-
markable series of rivers carry the
Barge canal along and across the
state and northward to Lake Ontario
and Lake Champlain. Of the 475
miles of Barge canal waterway from
New York to Buffalo, the Hudson, and
its tributary, the Mohawk, and the
closely connected valley of the Os-
wego carry the canal 350 miles or
more of the route. The Hudson-Mo-
hawk section comprises over 250 miles
of the cross-state waterway and rail-
way route.

In closing this subject it may be
here said that the forty New York
counties directly abutting on the ca-
nal or its terminals are Erie, Niagara,
Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Ontario,
Yates, Tompkins, Schuyler, Seneca,
Cayuga, Oswego, Onondaga, Madison,
Oneida, Herkimer, Montgomery, Ful-
ton, Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga,
Washington, Warren, Essex, Clinton,
Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Ulster,

386

APPENDIX

Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland,
Westchester, Bronx, New York, Rich-
mond, Kings, Queens.

The seven New Jersey Barge canal
counties are Bergen, Passaic, Hudson,
Essex, Union, Middlesex and Mon-
mouth.

The five additional New York state
counties now practically open to Barge
canal navigation are Chautauqua on
Lake Erie; Jefferson, and St. Law-
rence on Lake Ontario and the St.
Lawrence river and Nassau and Suf-
folk on Long Island Sound. The New
Jersey counties are all located on New
York bay and its adjacent navigable
waters.

Fulton county is included in the
foregoing because its twin cities of
Johnstown and Gloversville are but
three and six miles distant from the
canal and within easy trucking dis-
tance. Moreover geographically Ful-
ton and Montgomery counties are vir-
tually one.

Additions to the Barge canal are be-
ing surveyed and were treated of in
State Engineer Bensel's 1914 report.
They are from the foot of Seneca lake
to Chemung river, following the route
of the old Chemung canal. This would
open up communication between the
540 miles of the New York state Barge
canal and the Susquehanna river and
thence with the coal country of
Pennsylvania. The other additions
considered were the Glens Falls feed-
er, and two canals on the Greater
New York section of Long Island, one
from Newton creek to Flushing Bay
and the other across the island from
Flushing Bay to Jamaica Bay. Barge
canal improvement of the Black river,
from Lake Ontario to Carthage, has
also been projected. A 27-foot ship
channel from Hudson to Albany, is
projected in 1914. It must be remem-
bered that the Hudson river and New
York bay are parts of the Barge canal.

By way of the Chicago Drainage ca-
nal, connecting Lake Michigan with
the Mississippi, the Barge canal has
communication with the Mississippi
valley, the Gulf of Mexico and with
three-quarters of the navigable inland
waterways of the United States. From

LaJ<e Superior through Rainy lake
and Lake of the Woods to Lake Win-
nipeg, the building of a canal would
connect the Great Lakes and the Barge
canal with the great Canadian north-
west and would open up water com-
munication with over half of the nav-
igable inland waterways of North
America. This great area is now (1914)
probably the seat of population of 90,-
000,000 people and eventually may
hold a population of four or five hun-
dred millions.

In all this remarkable connecting
system of rivers, lakes and canals, it
is interesting to note that it is the
Mohawk valley which makes possible
this easy and direct communication
between the tidal waters of the Hud-
son and Atlantic and America's great
system of inland fresh waterways.
Fortunate is the individual and the
community situated along this water
route system.

See maps on these subjects.

Twenty million dollars have been
appropriated by New York state for
the construction of terminal docks or
small harbors and practically every
town of importance along the main
route of the Barge canal (and on its
branches as well) will have such a
terminal for the reception and dis-
patching of freight, which will doubt-
less be hauled by slow freight and
fast freight boats and lines of boats
after the completion of the canal. Five
million dollars has been appropriated
by the national government for the
improvement of the upper Hudson
river, $1,300,000 of which is to be spent
at and near Troy. Great concrete
docks are also being built at the latter
place and Albany (1914).

Predictions are made by residents
of the Albany-Troy group of cities
that a great metropolis will grow up
at that point — the head of the tide-
water navigation and the beginning of
the Erie and Champlain branches of
the Barge canal and in the center of a
network of ' railroads and automobile
roads and a great industrial, commer-
cial and agricultural center as well.
Some of the.se (1914) predictions sound
extravagant to the limit. Congress-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

387

man Ten Eyck of Albany claims a fu-
ture population for this greater Al-
bany-Troy of five millions. It is not
improbable, however, that a great
center of a million people will eventu-
ally be located on the Hudson and Mo-
hawk near the mouth of the latter
stream.

By 1925 the New York metropolitan
district will number 9,500,000 people
and ))y 1950 probably more than 15,-
000,000, with a New York state popu-
lation of about 25,000,000. By the year
2000 it may have 20,000,000 people and
by 2200 35,000,000 after which time its
population will probably stand still or
even considerably decrease as the
United States population reaches its
maximum of 400,000,000. These figures
are all provided present conditions con-
tinue. A marked decrease in the rain-
fall in the next century would make
the estimated population at the mouth
of the Hudson an impossibility. There
is nothing particularly noteworthy
about such enormous population cen-
ters; in fact they are deplorable as
regards the great majority of their
population, so that a decrease in their
population means progress in reality.
It may be that the course of industrial
and commercial life in the next cen-
tury (1914-2014) may diffuse these
great populations over many sub -cen-
ters of human activity. But whatever
the future populations they seem now
(1914) bound to be very great and the
New York State Barge canal will be a
necessity for bringing foodstuffs and
supplies (in conjunction with the rail-
roads) from the American northwest
and from foreign countries to the
great cities in the industrial belt lying
along the New York State Barge canal.
By 1925 the metropolitan district of
New York, with 9,500,000 people, will
be the greatest population center of
the world, excelling London which it
now (1914) nearly equals.

At the time of the publication of
this book (1914) a $3,500,000 company
was in process of incorporation, which
had for its object the navigation of the
Barge canal and the institution of a
fast freight line from New York to
Albany to Buffalo, serving principally
the Erie section from Albany to Buf-
falo. Thirty electrically driven boats
are projected, the type of which was
not in 1914 definitely decided upon.

It is expected that the Barge canal
structures and its deepening of the
Mohawk river channel will in the fu-
ture prevent the spring freshets which
have often been so disastrous and al-
ways inconvenient to the valley towns.

CHAPTER V.
1914 — Aeroplanes.

The year 1914 was marked by the
construction of the aeroplane "Amer-
ica," destined for a trans-Atlantic trip.
Several routes were in contemplation
in 1914, one from Newfoundland to
the Azores to Spain and the other by
way of Greenland-Iceland and Great
Britain. Aeroplanes were used for the
first time in war in the Italian-Turkish
war in Tripoli in 1911-1912, in the Bal-
kan wars (Turkey vs. Greece-Servia-
Montenegro-Bulgaria and Bulgaria vs.
Servia-Greece, 1912-13), in the Mexi-
can revolution of 1913-1914. A great
European war involving all of the
great European powers is beginning
at the time of this writing (August
1, 1914) and aeroplanes will doubtless
play a large part in this conflict,
should it unfortunately long continue.
Dirigible balloons form part of the
military equipment of many European
nations. A continuous succession of
fatalities has marked the use of air-
ships of both kinds.

August 4, 1914, the first great battle
of this war was being fought at Liege,
Belgium, between an invading force of
Germans and its Belgian defenders.
Russia, France, England, Belgium and
Servia are arrayed against Germany
and Austria, with other powers liable
to be involved.

In 1914, the year of going to press of
this book, a speed of 124 miles per hour
by aeroplanes flying over a measured
course has been recorded. It was only
in 1903 that the first flight occurred of
a man-directed heavier-than-air aero-
plane at Kitty Hawk, N. C, managed
by the Wright brothers, virtual inven-

388

APPENDIX

tors of the aeroplane. In 1913 the
tenth anniversary of this event was
celebrated by New York city aero-
nauts and a thrilling race, or Metro-
politan Aeroplane Derby, was held
around Manhattan Island. The win-
ner made 60 miles in 52 minutes.

Across-the-Atlantic and around-the-
world flights are being considered and
projected (1914).

The aeroplane stabilizer, a Wright
invention, was brought out in 1914.
Up to 1914 the greatest distance flown
over a circuit without stop by an aero-
plane was 627 miles. Accidents and
deatlis of aeronauts are (1914) of al-
most daily , occurrence. The aero-
plane corps of the United States army
have aeroplanes in service at Vera
Cruz in Mexico (1914) and all nations
are utilizing aeroplanes and dirigible
airships for war purposes. The Hud-
son and Mohawk valleys were the
scenes of the notable Albany-New
York flight by Curtiss in 1910, and in
part the route of Atwood from St.
Louis to New York in 1911. Both of
these events were epoch-making in
American aeronautics.

Incorrect Historical Illustrations.

Simms's "Frontiersmen of New
York" contains many illustrations
which are apt to give the uninitiated a
false impression of the people and cos-
tumes of the Revolution. Revolution-
ary men are depicted therein in silk
hats and spike-tail coats, which is ri-
diculous and misleading. For good
pictures of our valley ancestors and
their costumes see "In the Valley" by
Harold Frederic, illustrated by Howard
Pyle.

A similar instance is the engraved
supposed portrait of General Herkimer
printed in the publications of the Onei-
da Historical society. This is taken
from an interesting old painting repre-
senting a middle-aged man, in his shirt
sleeves, smoking a pipe. Its authen-
ticity has never been established but
it has been used as a basis for later
representations of Herkimer — notably
the fine statue of him by Burr Miller
at Herkimer. But the picture used by
the Oneida Historical, society shows

General Herkimer in a "Prince Albert"
coat, and modern turn-down collar and
necktie — an attire absolutely unknown
in Revolutionary times and not worn
at all until about the time of the, Civil
war. This portrait of Herkimer is ab-
solutely unworthy of such a distin-
guished body as the Oneida Historical
society — one which has done a great
work in the preservation of valley
records and the marking of sites — and
this plate should be suppressed.

Such pictures, like careless histori-
cal references, give the general public
a disjointed and foggy view of valley
history.

The Marking of the Site of Old Fort
Plain — Valley Historical Societies
and Their Accomplishments — Boy
Scouts and Campfire Girls.

Among the several patriotic projects
of recent years, one of the most laud-
able is that of the Fort Plain Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolu-
tion, having in view the marking of
the site of old Fort Plain with a suit-
able memorial. Consideration of the
reproduction of the blockhouse on its
original site, has been made. No more
suitable memorial could be construct-
ed. Fort Plainers would benefit by the
moderate walk to the site and the view
of the valley, which is here particu-
larly interesting. It probably would be
much visited if made accessible. Fort
Plain is a central point in the Mohawk
valley and a very suitable place for a
collection of historical objects and ex-
hibits of present day interest, particu-
larly so as such large crowds gather
here from up and down the valley dur-
ing street fair week. It would also
have a tendency to continually attract
a considerable number of people to
Fort Plain which would be to the con-
stant advantage of the town. It would
also be, an object of educational inter-
est to students. The D. A. R. have
done splendid work in the marking of
historic sites and the arousing of pub-
lic interest in valley history, and the
permanent marking of old Fort Plain
on Fort Hill and the preservation of a
suitable plot of ground about it, with
accessible walks, would be one of the

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

389

best achievements of these public-
spirited women. It may be mentioned
here that too much credit cannot be
given the patriotic and historical so-
cieties of the valley for their notable
achievements in marking sites, pre-
serving historic buildings and erecting
monuments.

Among the accomplishments by these
societies and also by public-spirited in-
dividuals in recent years have been the
erection of monuments on the battle-
fields of Oriskany, Johnstown and
Stone Arabia, over the grave of Gen-
eral Herkimer, the preservation of the
Herkimer house, Fort Johnson, the
Van Alstine house, Johnson Hall, sev-
eral of our Revolutionary churches, the
erection of a fine statue to Herkimer
at Herkimer, and the marking, with
tablets, of the line of march of the
Tryon County Militia to Oriskany,
from the Herkimer house to the battle-
ground, and the monument marking
the start of Clinton's overland march
from Canajoharie in 1779; as well as
lesser monuments, markings and pres-
ervations. Many of these are referred
to elsewhere in this work.

We have in America today two
organizations which, while not of an
ostensibly patriotic or historical
character, will have a future great
infiuence on our country. They are
the Boy Scouts and the Camp-
fire Girls — the former one of the
greatest organizations ever insti-
tuted and the latter with great possi-
bilities. Both bring the young in touch
with nature, the land, outdoor life and
the history of rivers and localities and
are bound to influence for good coming
American men of the future. It is al-
most impossible to get a Mohawk val-
ley man of today (1914) to walk out
and get acquainted with his home val-
ley. The Boy Scouts and Campfire
Girls encourage enjoyable, vigorous,
out-door exercise and consequent
strong, hardy bodies — matters in
which the average town-dwelling Am-
erican of today (and he constitutes the
majority of our American element) is
sadly lacking, and in which our out-
door ancestors excelled as a matter of
course. All honor to Baden-Powell,

who instituted the Boy Scout move-
ment, which has spread from Britain
to the United States, Canada, Aus-
tralia, South Africa and all other En-
glish speaking communities the world
over.

Yankee Doodle and the Yankee Doodle
Boys.

The following is from the recently
published diary of Baron Closen, a
young French officer who was with
Count de Rochambeau in the York-
town Campaign of 1781. It may be re-
marked here that the young French
officer was much fascinated by the
Revolutionary American girls. The
paragraphs quoted describe the sur-
render of Yorktown and have nothing
whatever to do with the Revolutionary
history of the Mohawk valley. It gives
such a good picture of the American
soldier and the hatred that existed be-
tween them and the (shall we say,
snobbish) British that it is worth pub-
lication— all the more because it brings
to mind a sketchy outline of what our
Mohawk valley Revolutionary fighting
men may have been like. Of the sur-
render of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va.,
Closen wrote in his diary of Oct. 19,
1781:

At 2 o'clock the garrison of York
marched out before the allied army,
which was formed in two lines, the
French standing opposite to the Amer-
icans and wearing their gala uniforms.
While passing between the two lines
the English showed the greatest con-
tempt for the Americans who to say
the truth, did not cut much of a figure
compared with our army in appearance
and equipment, for the greater part of
these unfortunates were dressed in lit-
tle white cloth jackets, dirty and
ragged, and many of them were almost
barefooted. The English had given
them the nickname "Janckey Dudle."

But what of that, the sensible man
will ask — these people are all the more
praiseworthy and brave for fighting as
they do, when they are so badly pro-
vided with everything.

"Janckey Dudle," as Closen wrote it,
is a French rendering of "Yankee Doo-
dle." It was at old Greenbush, now
Rensselaer, on the Hudson, opposite
Albany, that the song "Yankee Doodle"
was first vamped together and sung
and played by the American Provin-

390

APPENDIX

cial soldiers. So it was in the Hud-
son valley (at Rensselaer) that our
national song "Yankee Doodle," was
born and in the Hudson valley (on the
Mohawk at Fort Schuyler) that the
stars and stripes were first flown in
battle. Evidently the British called
our American soldiers "Yankee Doo-
dles."

"Landmarks of Rensselaer County,"
by George Baker Anderson (published
under the auspices of the Troy Press,
1897), has the following account of the
birth of "Yankee Doodle" at Green-
bush (Rensselaer) during the FYench-
Indian war (1754-1760):

During the last of the French and
Indian wars, Major-Gen. James Aber-
crombie, with more than 10,000 Brit-
ish-American troops, in 1758, encamp-
ed in the lower part of what is now
Greenbush [Dutch, "Greenbosch" —
Green bush or green woods]. Soon
after sixteen colonial regiments arriv-
ed and a little later four more regi-
ments from Connecticut. It was while
these troops were in camp at this point
that the song known as "Yankee Doo-
dle," originally intended as a satire on
the Connecticut regiments, was com-
posed by Dr. Shackburg, a [Dutch?]
surgeon in the British army. The gen-
eral appearance of these troops greatly
amused the well-drilled and well-in-
formed British soldiers and they were
laughed at and derided until they be-
came a byword, not only in the camp
but in Albany. They were called
"Yankee Doodles," and the song which
Dr. Shackburg composed was dedicated
to and named after them. The music
was adopted from an old song written
in England many years [centuries?]
before, and for a long time preserved
in rhymes of the nursery:

"Lucy Locket lost her pocket,
Kitty Fisher fo,und it;
Nothing in it, nothing in it,
But the binding round it."
Just what Dr. Shackl)urg's composi-
tion was it is impossible, at this day
to tell, for parody after parody has
been written since that time. The
tune, however, is practically the same
today as it was when the original
Yankee Doodle was written, except for
the interpolation of a few notes to fit
the increased number of syllables in
the stanzas. The purpose of the com-
position was fulfilled and the Connec-
ticut soldiers, who took the joke good-
naturedly, called it "Nation-Fine."
Less than a score of years afterward,

upon the surrender of General Bur-
goyne, October 17th, 1777, the cap-
tured enemy marched between the
lines of the victorious Yankees to the
tune which a British soldier had com-
posed, and which, by that time, had
become the only national air which the
Americans had.

"Value of the Study of Local History."
On July 1, 1914, Dr. Sherman Wil-
liams, Chief of School Libraries of the
University of the State of New York,
made an address before the Montgom-
ery County Historical Society at the
home of the society. Fort Johnson.
His paper which is entitled "The
Value of the Study of Local History,"
is the best exposition of the matter the
editor of this work has seen and por-
tions of it are here reprinted. In this
connection it may be here remarked
that the editor of "The Story of Old
Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk
Vallej'," has prepared a short "School
History of the Mohawk Valley, and
the Six Mohawk Valley Counties,"
which is a condensation of this work,
and a gazeteer of Mohawk valley as
well. Portions of Dr. Williams's ad-
dress, which are always pertinent to
our valley and its history, follow:

It is to be regretted that while the
courses of study in the public schools
of the state provide for seven years'
work in history, no time whatever is
given to the study of the history of
New York except incidentally, and very
incidentally, in connection with the
study of the history of the United
States. This seems to be a violation of
all the old pedagogical principles such
as that we should go from the known
to the related unknown, the simple to
the complex, etc. Just why this con-
dition of affairs has come about is a
little difficult to see. It may be be-
cause there is too common a belief
that knowledge and education are
synonymous terms which, of course,
is very far from being true. What-
ever the cause may be, no change is
likely to take place unless a demand
for such change comes from the peo-
ple of the state pretty generally.

It seems to me that this is a mat-
ter that local historical societies and
patriotic organizations might very
proijerly take into consideration. It is
not that the knowledge of the history
of our state is of more value than the
knowledge of other history, but that

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

391

the effect of such knowledge is helpful,
stimulating and uplifting. A person
who believes in his family and is proud
of it is a better member of his family
because of that fact. So, a person
who believes in and is proud of the
history of his locality or his state,
and the people who constitute the com-
munity and state, is likely to be a bet-
ter citizen. A recent writer has said:

"Europeans regard a general know-
ledge of the history of their country,
province and city as an essential fac-
tor in even an elementary education.
Inquiry by the American visitor will
lead to the discovery that almost ev-
ery intelligent peasant boy is at least
fairly informed about the annals of
the locality; its heroes are his own,
its glory is reflected in the enthusiasm
with which he recites their deeds to
the passing stranger. But when the
immigrant, emerging from such a
background, arrives in America he is
apt to find that those among whom
his social lot is cast know little of our
national history and virtually nothing
of the career of the state or city; his
children are not even taught local his-
tory in the public schools. Small won-
der if he concludes that America has
no history worth the telling, no state
or city heroes worthy the name; that
America 'just grew up' and is merely
a land of opportunity in which to make
dollars.

"Can American patriots be made out
of these foreigners in the face of such
neglect? Can a man be taught to love
his country or his state or city unless
he is taught that great deeds have here
been done, that her high ideals are
cherished; that his locality has been
and is a factor in civilizing the New
World? Are even our Ainerican born
boys and girls being made into the
same sort of patriots that they rear
abroad? Is it not time that as teach-
ers we pay some regard to our state
and local history; that we begin to
cultivate a taste in this study in the
minds of youth, and therein lay the
foundation for that love of locality,
which is the essence of civic patriot-
ism?"

The Battle of Bunker Hill was not
followed by any momentous conse-
quences. It did not change history. If
the battle had not been fought, or if it
had and the patriots had run like
frightened sheep at the first charge of
the British, the general result would
have been the same. The city of Bos-
ton would still have been surrounded
by thousands of patriots, the British
would still have been driven out. It is
not claimed that the Battle of Bunker
Hill was of no consequence. Far from
it. It showed that the patriots could
withstand a charge by British regu-
lars and it greatly cheered and en-

couraged the Americans. But the bat-
tle was not followed by any momen-
tous consequences.

1 he following year a battle was
fought in New York. That was not
without important consequences. It
was the bloodiest battle of the Revo-
lution, that is, the largest proportion
of those engaged were killed or wound-
ed. This battle was followed by im-
portant consequences. It was the
turning point of the Revolution. I re-
fer to the Battle of Oriskany. That is
not known to every schoolboy so that
he can actually see it. Many of them
have never even heard of it. Many of
our school histories do not even men-
tion it. But it was at Oriskany that
the Battle of Saratoga was really won.
It was this that led to the support of
the French.

I might spend the afternoon in call-
ing attention to the important events
in the history of our state that are not
mentioned in our schools or school
books and then fail to exhaust the
subject.

How is it with your own valley? No
portion of our state is richer in his-
torical associations. It was fore-or-
dained that New York should be great
whether you consider it from the mili-
tary or the civic standpoint — great in
commerce, great in manufactures,
great in wealth, great in population,
great in all that tends to make a state.
The Hudson river flows through the
only low-lying, wide-open gap in the
whole Appalachian system. There is
none other from the St. Lawrence on
the north to the Gulf of Mexico on the
south. • From New York to Troy is
practically a dead level, the tide rising
and falling at the latter place. From
here through the valley of the Mohawk
and across the western part of the
state to the Great Lakes was the eas-
iest route to the west. The physical
make-up of the state made it certain
that any people who occupied this
state would be great. This has always
been the case. It always must be. It
was true when the Mohawks and the
other members of the Five Nations
controlled Central New York from Al-
bany to Lake Erie. Not only is the
history of your section worthy of study
l)ecause of its general importance but
it is no less so because of the events
that occurred in it and the men who
took part in those events. We are
meeting in the first real home of the
man who perhaps was second to no
other in that part of our colonial his-
tory that precedes the Revolution. I
refer, of course, to Sir William John-
son. His brief stay in a little hut at
Warren's Bush is not forgotten but
that hut was hardly a home. Here he
was the dominating character, not only
of the valley but of the whole frontier.
No other person began to exercise the

392

APPENDIX

influence over the Indians that lie did.
It is perhaps not too much to say
that but for him this state, New Eng-
land and the regions of the Great
Lakes would have fallen under the
control of the French and it might
have resulted in making the greater
part of what now constitutes the Unit-
ed States a great "New France." You
probably know well the history of Sir
William Johnson. Your children also
ought to possess that knowledge and
they ought to be able to get it in the
schools. His story, however, should
be told by some one who has not the
New England prejudice against every-
thing in New York — a prejudice that
leads even so able a writer as Park-
man to sneer at Johnson and to
speak of his wife as an ignorant Ger-
man wench.

Your society does well in trying to
perpetuate the memory of these
things Imt you will do better if you
make the story of this valley known,
through the schools, to every ■ iioy and
girl who attend them. I most earnest-
ly entreat you to do what you may to
see that the history of your valley is
taught in the schools round about you.

Whether or not New York shall come
to her own, when the story of the his-
tory of our country is told, will de-
pend largely upon the attitude of so-
cieties such as yours.

2200 Population of Hudson Valley —
Ultimate Mohawk Valley Populations

The editor of this work estimates
the Hudson valley population of the
year 2200 at 40.000,000. Of this over
35,000,000 should lie in the vast city at
its mouth which should then include
tfte greater part of northeastern New
Jersey about New York bay, Staten
Island, Manhattan Island, Western
Long Island, both shores of the
Hudson river along the whole
Tappan Zee north of Peekskill, and the
most of Westchester coimty. Its cen-
ter would probably then have shifted
northward from its present location —
34th to 42d streets — to north of Yon-
kers in Westchester county and its
face will be an entire ne^ one, with
(let us hope) much of civic unity,
comfort and beauty. By that future
date the population of the Hudson val-
ley will have reached its zenith.

In the year 2200 (only three centuries
hence) the population of the United
States may be 350,000,000 and that of
Canada 150.000,000 giving a combined
North American ])opulation of ,^00,000.-
000, which Noah Webster (of diction-
ary fame) estimated as our ultimate
North American population. Estimat-
ing the English speaking population
of outside of North America at 200,-

000,000 would give a total world En-
glish-speaking population of 700,000,-
0€0, vastly greater than that of any
other single-language-speaking popu-
lation. The English-speaking popula-
tion of the world in 1914 was estimated
at about 160,000 000 (the largest in the
world), of which 110,000,000 was in
North America. In the year 2200,
North America (with the United States
and Canada then in close alliance) may
with Russia and Japan-China control
the destinies of the world. After that
period doubtless South America and
Africa will rise in importance. In
those days let us hope, a union of civ-
ilized nations will make peace and
justice reign and see that no man
lacks work and no mother or child
food clothing and shelter.

For the year 2200 the editor of this
work ))redicts some ultimate popula-
tions for the present towns in the Mo-
hawk valley and the six Mohawk valley
counties. This is merely a personal
guess and if the reader's local pride is
injured he can make one probably
equally as accurate which will please
him better. Location and accessibility
to trade routes and water power have
been considered in this estimate. Only
valley towns with populations of 1,000,
according to the census of 1910, are
considered. On or before 2200 the Mo-
hawk valley should have a population
of aliout 1,500.000.

This is in no sense a boost for large
Ijojjulations. Frequently a town of
half a thousand population is a better
abiding place for the average citizen
than any of the world's greatest capi-
tals. Many causes may conduce to
make this estimated population impos-
sible such as food, fuel and water
shortage. This estimate is based on
present increases.

Some towns may reach these figures
and then decrease before 2200. The
estimate for that year follows, begin-
ginning with Oneida county and fol-
lowing the Mohawk and its tributaries
southward:

Boonville, 5.000.

Camden, 5,000.

Rome, 50,000.

Oriskany. 8,000.

Waterville, 5 000.

Clinton, 5,000.

Wliitesl)oro-New Hartford-New York
Mills-Utica, or Greater Utica, 250,000.

Frankfort - Ilion - Mohawk - Herkimer,
75.000.

Little Falls, 50,000.

Dolgeville, 12,000.

St. Johnsville, 12,000.

Fort Plain, 12 000.

Canajoharie, 12,000.

Fonda- Fultonville, 8,000.

Johnstown-Glovcrsville, 75,000.

Northville, 8,000.

Schoharie, 3,000.

Cobleskill, 8,000.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

393

Middleburg, 3,000.

Amsterdam, 75,000.

Schenectady-Scotia, 400,000.

Cohoes, 75,000.

Schenectady - Scotia - Cohoes - Water-
ford - Watervliet - Troy - Greenbush -
Albany, or Greater Albany-Troy-Sche-
nectady, 1,000,000.

Scenic Features of the Mohawk Valley.

It is impossible to enumerate in this
volume all the scenic beauties and
items of topographic interest in the
Mohawk valley.

Of the hills along the Mohawk, noble
old Yantapuchaberg, towering over a
thousand feet above the Mohawk back
of Rotterdam, is probably the most im-
pressive. The Noses and Fall Hill are
fine bluffs and hills.

West Canada creek has, among its
other scenic features, a picturesque
gorge and falls at Trenton Falls. There
are attractive rapids at East Creek
falls, on East Canada creek, about a
mile above the East Creek station.
Canajoharie gorge and falls are famous
in the valley. Bouck's falls in Scho-
harie county and the falls of the Plat-
terkill, in the hills back of Rotterdam,
the falls of Tequetsera near Hoffmans,
the Adriutha, near Amsterdam, Butter-
milk falls near Cranesville and Flat
creek falls near Sprakers, are all cas-
cades of considerable beauty.

Aside from the scenic beauty of the
river, its flats, hills, woods, creeks and
brooks, and their falls, glens and val-
leys, the Mohawk valley possesses sev-
eral lakes of considerable beauty,
among them, Canada, Caroga, Peck,
Jerseyfield and Honnedaga. The up-
per part of Fulton county is dotted
with lakes and ponds draining into
East creek, the Caroga or Sacandaga.
The large lakes formed by the Barge
canal reservoirs at Delta and Hinckley
are the largest bodies of water in the
Mohawk watershed, and possess added
interest on account of the great engi-
neering work necessary to their con-
struction.

At Howe's Cave in Schoharie, is a
very considerable cave, which has been
much visited.

The main beauty of the Mohawk
valley seems to be in the pleasing har-

mony and variety of the lines and
forms of its wood-covered hills, the
winding course of the Mohawk and the
pastoral beauty of its fertile farm
lands. Each lover of the valley land-
scape, and their name has been legion,
finds some particular personal interest
in its varied scenery.

NOTES.

It is suggested that the reader of
this book follow this order in reading
this work:

First: Read the Fifteen School Dates
in the Mohawk Valley Chronologies in
the appendix.

Second: Read the Mohawk Valley
Chronology (the first and main one),
which starts the appendix.

Third: Read the main body of the
book.

Fourth: At the conclusion of each
chapter turn to the appendix and read
therein the matter relative to the chap-
ter in the main body of the book, which
the reader has just completed. The
appendix additions carry the main
body chapter heads, to which the ap-
pendix matter properly belongs.

A reading of the "Short School His-
tory of the Mohawk Valley and the
Six Mohawk Valley Counties," by Nel-
son Greene, the editor of this book,
will give good rudimentary historical
valley knowledge. If off the press by
the time of the publication of this
book, the reader is advised to peruse
it first, unless he or she is well versed
in Mohawk valley history. The author
also has in preparation a "New York
to Buffalo Book," which forms a ga-
zeteer of the towns on and the country
along the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. All
three works can be read with mutual
enlightenment.

The word British, used in this work,
of course refers to all the peoples of
the British Isles — English, Scotch,
Irish and Welsh. Of the British pre-
Revolutionary elements of the Mohawk
valley population, the Scotch seems to
have been the greatest numerically.

394

APPENDIX

Hon. Robert Earl, in a paper on
Fort Dayton, read before the Herkimer
Historical society in 1898, says Walter
Butler "was killed, on the banks of the
West Canada creek, about ten miles
above Trenton Falls," at a place on
the creek called "Broadwaters," north-
westerly of Ohio City, and east of the
hamlet of Northwood (the West Can-
ada here runs east and west).

reader who is interested in the thrill-
ing and tragic features of the Revolu-
tionary war in this locality. The reader
is particularly referred to Simms's
"Frontiersmen of New York."

A census of Schenectady, taken by
■the city's letter carriers, gave a popu-
lation of 94,000 in 1914. If this is cor-
rect and the rate of increase continues
the population of the six Mohawk val-
ley counties in 1915 will be about 470,-
000. Adding to this the population of
the lower Mohawk valley in Albany
and Saratoga counties, would give a
1915 population, of the six Mohawk
valley counties and the Mohawk valley
combined, of over 500,000.

On the Mohawk and the Hudson,
near the mouth of the Mohawk, is lo-
cated an interesting group of seven
cities and villages which virtually
form one great city or community, as
they all lie within a radius of about
ten miles or less. They are Albany,
Rensselaer, Watervliet, Green Island.
Cohoes, Waterford and Troy. The
New York Industrial Directory of 1912
estimates their population at 240,000 in
round numbers. With the addition of
Schenectady their combined popula-
tion, according to the same authority,
is 325,000 in round numbers. If these
communities were organized in one
civic government it would be the third
city in the state. They form an in-
dustrial and commercial center of
great importance.

This publication does not pretend to
give all the known or recorded epi-
sodes, tragedies and adventures of the
Revolutionary history of the Mohawk
valley, or even all of those which hap-
pened within the immediate vicinity of
old Fort Plain. Only such as bear
upon the major events and the main
story of the valley are brought out here
— such as are necessary to the picture
of the three centuries of life along the
Mohawk. Other works will aid the

Recent years have seen a great
growth of public spirit and local and
town pride in the Mohawk valley.
Practically every village and city along
the Mohawk now has its public library
which has been frequently given in
whole or part to the community by
some public-spirited citizen. In March,
1914, David H. Burrell of Little Falls
announced a gift of $50,000, to the city
of Little Falls, for a City hall, provided
a similar amount was raised by other
citizens or by the municipality. Mr.
Burrell had previously given a public
gymnasium and building to his city.
On March 12, 1914, the Weller Free
Library of Mohawk was opened. This
was a gift of the fine brick mansion of
the late Mr. and Mrs. Frederick N.
Weller of Mohawk. Mr. and Mrs. Wel-
ler also left the village a business
block and $52,000 in U. S. bonds to
provide for the library's support. An
era of broad world interest is opening
for the people along the Mohawk and
the day of narrow provincialism is
ending. It is proved by the spirit
which actuated the donors of these
public edifices and enterprises.

"Everyman's Literary and Historical
Atlas of North America and South
America" gives the battle of Oriskany
as one of the twenty-five principal
battles of the War of Independence.
The Revolutionary principal actions
fought on New York state soil are
given in that publication as follows:
Fort Ticonderoga, 1775; Long Island,
Aug. 27, 1776; White Plains, Oct. 28,
1776; Fort Washington (Manhattan
island), Nov. 16, 1776; Fort Ticonder-
oga (Saratoga campaign), July 5, 1777;
Oriskany (Saratoga campaign), Aug.
6, 1777; Saratoga (Saratoga campaign),
Sept. 19, 1777; Saratoga (Saratoga
campaign), Oct. 17, 1777. Stony Point,
1779, and the battle of Elmira, 1779,
should be here included. More Revolu-

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

395

tionary principal battles were fought
in New York than in any other of the
thirteen colonies.

The editor of this work regrets the
somewhat local character of this his-
torical study. By the elimination of
the chapters relative to western Mont-
gomery county exclusively, this book
will be found to be a general review
of Mohawk valley history. However it
is probable that a more natural picture
of Mohawk valley life can be given by
a historical study of that portion of
the middle Mohawk valley, from Her-
kimer to Amsterdam (which is the
section here particularly treated), than
by a historical analysis of life in large
v?lley urban centers such as Schenec-
tady or Utica.

A fertile subject for discussion, de-
bate and essays in the public schools
of the Mohawk valley could be the pos-
sibilities of future valley life as viewed
in the light of the past and as influ-
enced by present day forces.

Fully one-third of this work is given
up to the description and discussion of
subjects which concern Mohawk valley
modern life — its railroads, canals, river,
highways, manufacturing, agriculture,
commerce and social life — all subjects
which promise to be timely to the
reader for centuries to come. In no
other historical work has there been
such a comprehensive treatment of the
Mohawk valley and its present (1914)
life.

"The Story of Old Fort Plain and the
Middle Mohawk Valley" was originally
published in the Fort Plain Standard
and republished, a week or more, after
its initial appearance, in the Mohawk
Valley (Fonda) Democrat. There were
also some twenty republications of
chapters, or the greater portions of
chapters, in nine other papers in the
Mohawk valley, from Frankfort to
Schenectady.

In a letter to the Herkimer Citizen
of July 21, 1914, E. J. Klock says that
factory cheese was first made on May

10, 1851, by Jessie Williams and his
sons, Dewitt and George Williams, at
the "first cheese factory in the world,"
erected on the Williams farm, two
miles north of Rome, Oneida county.
Refer to the article on Herkimer coun-
ty and Mohawk valley cheesemaking
in this Appendix, pages 331-335.

Simms in his list of the Mohawk's
tributaries omits Kuyahoora as the
Indian name of West Canada creek.
The Geisenberg neighborhood, fre-
quently referred to in this work, re-
lates to the Hallsville section of Min-
den township. The spelling Caroga is
used for the creek of that name in this
book, whereas the universal pronunci-
ation (and probably that of the Mo-
hawks) was Garoga. Such a spelling
would be used in any future edition. It
may be remarked here that Schoharie
is translated as meaning "driftwood."

The maps herein contained are from
reliable sources or were drawn by the
author from maps issued by the office
of the New York State Engineer and
Surveyor or from standard maps.

In addition to the hydro-electrical
plants located on Caroga and East
creeks it may be mentioned that there
is a similar development at Trenton
Falls on West Canada creek, north of
Utica. Others will follow doubtless,
but these three streams are at present
(1914) the Mohawk valley ones which
have been developed hydro-electrically.

In the industrial map of the Erie
railroad system (published 1913) the
Mohawk river section from Rome to
Utica is given as one of the regions in
which oil or gas is produced. This
region is the most easterly on this
map. Gas was discovered in a small
quantity in Root, Montgomery county,
in 1913. It exists in generally small
pockets in many Mohawk valley sec-
tions.

In 1914 the holding of a September
street fair in Fort Plain was aban-
doned for the first time since its in-

396

APPENDIX

ception fifteen years before. Its hold-
ing had become burdensome to the
merchants who yearly organized and
conducted it. The suggestion is here
made that the fair be held yearly in
rotation by the sister villages of west-
ern Montgomery county — Canajoharie,
Fort Plain, St. Johnsville. In this way
this typical Mohawk valley affair could
be continued.

The editor of this work desires to
acknowledge the assistance of the fol-
lowing persons in aiding in the collec-
tion of material and the use of their
writings in this work: James A. Hol-
den, New York State historian, Albany,
N. Y.; Noble E. Whitford, State Engi-
neer's office, Albany, N. Y.; Dr. Sher-
man Williams, University of the State
of New York, Albany, N. Y.; James A.
Wendell, Albany, N. Y.; P. M. Van
Epps, Glenville, N. Y. ; John Pea, Am-
sterdam, N. Y. ; Rev. Washington
Frothingham, William B. Wemple,
Miss Marion Abbott, Fonda, N. Y.; S.
L. Prey, Palatine Bridge, N. Y. ; Abram
Devendorf, Mrs. Horace L. Greene,
Fort Plain, N. Y.; N. Berton Alter,
Nelliston, N. Y.; William Irving Wal-
ter, St. Johnsville, N. Y.; Col. John
W. Vrooman, A. T. Smith, Herkimer,
N. Y.; Margaret B. Stewart; E. W.
Tuttle; Harry N. Atwood (Saturday
Evening Post); the United States Cen-
sus Bureau, Washington, D. C; office
of State Engineer and Surveyor, Al-
bany, N. Y.; Albany Knickerbocker
Press, and others.

Particularly does the editor wish to

acknowledge the great assistance he
has had from Messrs. George O'Connor
and W. W. O'Connor, publishers of the
Fort Plain Standard, who have given
the utmost care to the proper assem-
bling and printing of these chapters
and in the preparation of this review
of Mohawk valley history. Also ac-
knowledgment is due to William D.
Ludwig, linotype operator for the
Standard, whose careful and skilled
typography and knowledge of valley
names has made errors at a minimum,
in the newspaper and book publication
of this work — a work where opportuni-
ties for erroneous typography were
innumerable. Also credit is due
Fred H. Kelsey, pressman of the
Standard, for his careful printing of
this book. Standard printing exem-
plifies at its highest the care and high
degree of excellence that has charac-
terized the best of Fort Plain's print-
ing art for the last half century (prior
to 1914). It is a great pleasure for the
editor of this work, who has the ut-
most respect and admiration for the
great art of printing, to make this
acknowledgent.

As the last forms of this work are
going to press the city of Utica is hold-
ing a week of celebration (August 3 to
8, 1914), including a pageant represent-
ing the battle of Oriskany and the ded-
ication of a statute of Baron Steuben,
the "drillmaster" of the Revolutionary
American army, who died and is buried
in the town of Steuben, Oneida county,
to the north of Utica.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

397

CORRECTIONS

SERIES I.

CHAPTER II.
In chapter II. it is stated that LaCar-
non, a French Canadian priest, was the
first white man to explore the upper
reaches of the Mohawk, in 1616. Later
researches show that even he was
probably preceded by the Dutch who
doubtless had gone into the lower Mo-
hawk valley considerably before that
date. Mr. Frey says: "It is certain,
also, that three Dutchmen, before 1614,
had passed up the Mohawk, crossed
over to Otsego lake, and gono down
the Susquehanna as far as Wyoming,
whence, crossing the mountains to the
Delaware, they were ransomed; the
Mohawks having taken them prisoners,
mistaking them for Frenchmen. ' They
probably came to the Otsquago and
went up its valley to Otsego lake.

CHAPTER II.
Schenectady was settled by Van
Curler and his companions in 1661.
It was officially plotted by the Fort
Orange (Albany) authorities in 1663.
White settlers were resident there
years before 1661, however — perhaps
before 1640.

CHAPTER II.

Isaac Jogues was a prisoner in
1642 and was killed in 1646 at Os-
seruenon, on the south side of the
river, not at Caughnewago, on the
north side. The site where Jogues
was killed Is marked by the Shrine at
Auriesville. All the Mohawk villages
of that date were on the south side.
The Jesuits only converted a part of
the Mohawks. These were transferred
to villages on the St. Lawrence and
were known as the "Praying Indians."
St. Catherine, "the Lily of the Mo-
hawk," was one of them. The above
correction is by S. L. Frey.

This chapter says that Jogues,
"through the influence of the Dutch,
was released and returned to France."

The actual facts are that he escaped
at night from his barbarous captors
while they stopped with him at Albany
and, with the aid of the Dutch com-
mandant of Fort Orange, hid himself
on a Dutch boat, which later sailed for
Holland. The Mohawks were greatly
incensed at his escape, but the Dutch
commandant professed ignorance.

CHAPTER IIL
Joseph Brant used the "Wolf" to-
tem, showing that his mother was of
that clan. So, of course, his father
could not have been a "Wolf," as mem-
bers of the same clan could not marry.
Correction by S. L. Frey.

CHAPTER VIIL

A paragraph says "Nicholas Herki-
mer and Ebenezer Cox were residents
(in 1775) of the present town of Dan-
ube." Beers makes this statement
which is an error. Herkimer lived in
Danube but Col. Ebenezer Cox re-
sided on the south side of the Mo-
hawk, in the present town of Minden,
about a mile from the present village
of St. Johnsville. Simms said in 1882
that the Cox farm was then owned
by Samuel F. Smith, whose wife was
a granddaughter of Col. Cox, and that
the Cox farm had always been in the
possession of the Cox family. Three
of the eight members of the Tryon
County Committee of Safety of the
Canajoharie district were (in 1775)
from the present town of Minden —
William Seeber, John Pickard, Ebe-
nezer Cox.

CHAPTER IX.
This chapter has the following:
"At the close of the French war
there were, in the valley army for-
tifications at Fort Stanwix (now
Rome, erected 1758), at Fort Herki-
mer (1756) and at Fort Hunter (1711)."
There was also, in addition to the
above, the fort called Fort Canajo-
harie at Indian Castle, which was
erected in 1755 by Sir William John-
son to protect the Mohawks there re-
siding.

398

APPENDIX

CHAPTER X.
In the "Adjacent Settlers (to Fort
Plain)— 1776" chapter X. it was said
that "Willett did not command here (at
Fort Plain) after 1782." This is an
error. Willett commanded here, al-
though not constantly at this post, at
least in 1781, 1782, 1783 and possibly
later.

SERIES II.

CHAPTER I.

This chapter says that the council
of 1784, between the Iroquois and Gov.
Clinton and commissioners, at Fort
Schuyler or Stanwix (now Rome), was
the last Indian council in the valley.
This is an error. The council of 1788
at Fort Schuyler, in which the Iroquois
finally extinguished the title to their
4,000,000 acres of land, was the last
Indian council in the valley. Note the
table of dates at the end of the regu-
lar chapters.

CHAPTER II.

Gen. Doubleday, the inventor of
baseball, is spoken of as a schoolboy
of the old Canajoharie district.
Strictly speaking this is probably er-
roneous as Otsego lake lies in what
was the old German Flats district.
The matter is apropos, however, as
Cooperstown and Fort Plain interests
have always been closely identified.
As Doubleday was about 21 in 1840 he
may have been a teacher or assistant
in Green's Cooperstown school or a
visitor there rather than a schoolboy.

CHAPTER V.

A sentence in this chapter, says that
"two small lakes or ponds, one at the
headwaters of Oriskany creek and the
other at the source of the South Chuc-
tanunda, are the only ponds of a size
worthy of mention on the south side of
the Mohawk watershed." This is a
mistake of a map consulted, which
connected the lake at Hamilton with
the Oriskany instead of the Chenango.
A small pond lies at the head of Fox
creek (a tributary of the Schoharie) in

.Albany county. Including the ponds
at Mariaville in Schenectady county,
which is the source of the South Chuc-
tanunda, and the Fox creek headwater
pond, there are three small lakes or
ponds on the south side Mohawk
watershed.

CHAPTER X.
In this chapter. Judge Forman's res-
idence is given as both Onondaga and
Ontario county. Joshua Forman, who
introduced the first legislative canal
act in 1808, was from Onondaga
county.

In the opening paragraph of the Mo-
hawk Valley Chronology on page 307,
it says: "The editor of this work has
found it impossible to secure dates of
secondary importance." It should read:
"The editor of this work has found it
impossible to secure some dates of sec-
ondary importance." Practically all
dates of first and secondary importance
in the history of the Mohawk valley
are contained in the chronology, which
the editor of this work considers one
of its most important features.

In the Mohawk Valley Chronology in
the appendix, under the date 1758,
April, it says: "Col. William Johnson
calls together the valley militia at
Canajoharie (Fort Plain) to repel in-
vasion of French and Indians at Fort
Herkimer." There are two errors here:
Johnson should have been called Gen-
eral Johnson, as he had that title in
1758, and the militia were called to-
gether probably at Fort Canajoharie
(present Indian Castle).

In the Statistical Summary for
School Use on Page 323, the area of
Montgomery county is given as 355,000
acres. It should read 255,000 acres.
With the exception of a few months
during the early newspaper publica-
tion of this book (when he was in
Fort Plain) the editor of this work
has been in New York during its pub-
lication in Fort Plain. Owing to his
inability to read press proofs certain
errors have crept in which are cor-
rected herewith.

ADDITIONS, NOTES, CORRECTIONS

399

A FINAL WORD

This book will have served its pur-
pose to some extent if it shows the
intimate relation of the individual and
his community to the surrounding
areas and to the world at large. The
hamlet is as much the hub of the world
as the great city. Yonder railroad
turning westward goes far beyond
your horizon, on and on to the
plains, the high western mountains
and the wide Pacific. The waterway,
with its loaded boats, at the foot of
this hill does not end around that turn
of the valley, but flows along to the
boundless salt sea. That stream run-
ning through the flats to the Mohawk
comes from the far silent glades of
the big North Woods. Those east-
ern hills rise on and on to the mile
high peaks of the Adirondacks.

Willy nilly, you daily touch hands
with the whole world, just as the life
and history of the Mohawk valley
touches everywhere that of the great
world of which it is relatively a tiny
part.

On a still day you stand at the edge
of the pond and toss in a stone — the
ripples widen to its farthest bank.

The scientist tells us that our lives,
whether sordid or great, whether
happy or miserable, have their effect
chemically on the atoms of the uni-
verse— on this small globe whirling
through space and on those bright
worlds which, across the great black
midnight heavens, make a bridge of
light, which seems to lead the human
soul up and up to a dim vision of the
infinite.

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