Towns of Schoharie County

BLENHEIM - was formed from Schoharie, March 17, 1797. Jefferson was taken off in 1803, and a part of Gilboa in 1848. It is an interior town, lying S.W. of the center of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland, broken by the deep ravines of the streams. Schoharie Creek flows N. through the E. part, receiving West Kil and several smaller streams from the W. A wide alluvial flat extends along its course. The streams generally are bordered by steep hills rising to a height of 300 to 500 ft. The soil is principally a clayey loam. Patchin Hollow, (North Blenheim p.o.,) upon Schoharie Creek, contains 2 churches, a tannery, and 44 houses. The first settlements* were made by Dutch and Palatinates, before 1761; but the settlers were driven out during the Revolution. The present race of settlers came mostly from New England, soon after the close of the war. Rev. Stephen Fenn was the first preacher.

*Hendrick Mattice, the pioneer, built a mill on West Kil, at Patchin Hollow. He became a loyalist and went to Canada. Henry Effner, Lambert Sternberg, Wm. Freek, Isaac Smith, Banks Morehouse, George Martin, and Henry Hager were early settlers. Freegift Patchin settled in 1798, built the second mill, and gave name to the village. Gen. Patchin had been taken prisoner by the Indians, and suffered extremely at their hands. The first inn was kept by H. Effner; the first store, by Tobias Cuyler, in 1803; and the first tannery was built in 1825, by Jones & Lathrop. Jacob Sutherland, afterward Judge of the U.S. Supreme Court, resided several years at North Blenheim.

*Named from John Broome, Lieut. Gov. of the State at the time of the formation of the town. Scott's Patent of 37,840 acres, granted Jan. 2, 1770, and a part of Isaac LeRoy's Patent, are within the limits of this town.

**Derick Van Dyck settled before the Revolution. John Robbins, ___ Guillem, a half-breed, Allen Leet, Joshua and Asa Bushnell, Geo. and Hezekiah Watson, Ebenezer Wickham, Geo. Burtwick, Timothy Kelsey, Joseph Gillet, and Ezra Chapman settled previous to 1796. The first known birth was that of Francis Kelsey, in April, 1794; and the first death, that of Ezra Chapman, Aug. 1794. Griswold, Carden & Wells began the erection of a sawmill in 1794, and a gristmill the next season.

*The principal of these caves are known as Young's and Sellick's caves. Near Carlisle Village is a small cavern, in which it is supposed that Indians found shelter during the Revolution. Fibrous sulphate of barytes, fibrous carbonate of lime, and arragonite are found near Grovenors Corners.

**Named from the Albany Argus, at the time the principal paper taken in town. Formerly known as "Malicks Mills.

***John G. Loucks, Coenradt Engle, Philip Karker, and Peter Young were among the first that located in town. The late Judge Brown, author of a small local history, settled at an early period. John C. McNeill, Wm. Caldwell, John Sweetman, Aaron Howard, Teunis Van Camp, Mathias Cass, and Lodowyck Primer were also early settlers.

*Named from ___ Cobel, who built a mill near Central Bridge at an early period. Cobles Kil was called by the Indians Ots-ga-ra-gee.

**Named from Lawrence Lawyer, said to have been the first settler in town.

***Among the early settlers were families named Shafer, Bouck, Keyser, Warner, Fremyre, Borst, and Brown, - mostly from Schoharie. Capt. Jas. Dana, an early settler, distinguished himself in the battle of Bunker Hill. John Redington, another soldier of much service, also lived in this town. - Simm's Schoharie, p. 619. A sawmill, built before the war by Christian Brown, was not destroyed by the Indians, as it was coveted by a tory, who expected to receive it after it was confiscated by the British.

*Named from Rev. Jonathan Cone, of Durham, Greene co. The town was included in a tract granted to U. Richtmeyer and others, May 6, 1754, known as Dise's Manor; and tracts to Daniel Crane, Samuel Stringer, Walter McFarlane, John Richtmeyer, Christian Petrie, and others.

**Mr. R. was joint owner of several patents with John Dise and others; and the name is still common in town. During the Revolution the settlers fled for safety to the upper fort. Peter Richtmeyer was twice taken prisoner by the Indians under the tory Jones. After the war, Philip Kripple, Conrad Petrie, John Shew, Barent Stryker, Stephen Scovil, James Allerton and Hubbard and Judah Luring, the last two from Conn., came into town. The first death was that of Ury Richtmeyer, Aug. 14, 1769. Thomas Canfield taught a school in 1794. Peter Richtmeyer kept the first inn, in 1784. Barent Stryker built the first mill above the falls of Manor Kil.

*The town was named from the village. The site of the latter was bought by Gen. Wm. North in 1800, laid out into lots, and named by him from a French word signifying Hope.

**Named from John R. Sloan, an early settler. many years since, near this place, by the side of a path leading to Fort Hunter, was a stone heap thrown up by the Indians, who, from a superstition among them, never failed to add a stone to the pile whenever they passed it. The Rev. Gideon Hawley, who passed it in 1753, relates (1 Mass. Coll. IV) that this heap had been accumulating for ages, and that his native guide could give no other reason for the observance than that his father practiced it and enjoined it upon him. He did not like to talk about it; and the missionary believed that the custom was a religious offering to the unknown God. Others state that a tradition fixes this as the spot where a murder was committed. The heap gave name to the "Stone Heap Patent," granted to John Bowen and others Sept. 15, 1770. The heap was 4 rods long, 1 or 2 wide, and 10 to 15 ft. high, and consisted of small, flat stones. The covetous owner many years since built the material into a stone wall; and no trace of this curious monument of Indian superstition now remains. Similar stone heaps have been noticed in other sections of the State. The path that led by this pile was that taken by Sir John Johnson and his army from Schoharie to the Mohawk in Oct. 1780. -Simm's Schoharie, p. 632.

***One of the first settlements was made at "Kneiskerns Dorf," opposite the mouth of Cobles Kil. The place was named from John Peter Kneiskern, a prominent settler. The Stubrachs, Enderses, Sidneys, Berghs, and Houcks were also pioneer families. Henry and George Houck built the first gristmill. This town comprises the whole of Jacob Henry Ten Eyck's patent, surveyed Aug. 1761; a part of the Schoharie Patent, and a part of Sawyer & Zimmer's Second Allotment. The Stone Heap Patent lies partly in this town.

This town embraces the whole of several patents and parts of others, the principal of which are Michael Byrne's of 18,000 acres, granted Dec. 14, 1767; John Butler's of about 8,000 acres; Wm. Bouck's Patent, of 1,250 acres, E. of the creek, granted May 8, 1755, and another, on the W. of about the same size; Edward Clark's of 100 acres; Vrooman's Land, granted to Adam Vrooman, Aug. 26, 1714; Wm. Wood's Patent, of 2,000 acres, July 13, 1770; Hendrick Hager's, 900 acres, Dec. 1, 1786; part of John Butler's of 100 acres, and of Issac Levy's tract of 4,333 acres, surveyed in July 1770. Vrooman's Land Indian deeds are still extant, one of which is dated Aug. 22, 1711. Among the early settlers were Peter, son of Adam Vrooman, the patentee; Cornelius and Bartholomew Vrooman, Nicholas Feeck, Adam Brown, Teunis Vrooman, Michael Brown, ___ Kriesler, Frere Becker, and Stephen Young, on the W.; and William Bouck, the patentee, with his sons Johannes F., Christian, and William, Nicholas York, and Henry Hager, on the E.

**This stream is called by the Indians Ken-ha-na-ga-ra. Upon its course, in a ravine 200 feet deep worn in the Hamilton shales, is a fine cascade, known as "Bouck's Falls."

***A German name for the rushes which grew upon the banks of the creek at this place.

*A fall in the creek at the village was called by the Indians De-was-e-go.

**The Gilboa Cotton Mills Co. has a capital of $50,000, and runs 100 looms.

***These two settlers joined the British and fled to Canada during the Revolution. Among the early settlers after the war were Richard Stanley, Joseph Desilva, Benoni Frazer, Cornelius Lane, John Breaster, Isaac Van Fort, Daniel Conover, and Jacob Homer,-all from New England. Ruloff Voorhees kept the first inn, in 1785; John Dise built the first mills in 1764; and Jonah Soper the first tannery, in 1800. This town embraces a part of the Blenheim Patent, with parts of grants to Ury Richtmeyer, David Buffington, (July, 1770,) and ___ Scott, with a portion of the "State Lands." The last named tracts comprised the lands escheated to the State by failure of title, and the confiscated estates of tories.

*This lake is 1,800 ft. above tide. It is often mentioned in old documents, and was an angle in the bounds of Albany co. in colonial times. It is the source of the W. branch of the Delaware.

**Amos and Caleb Northrop settled in the E. part; Samuel and Noah Judson, near Utsyanthia Lake; Henry Shelmerdine and James McKenzie, on West Kil; Stephen Marvin, Erastus Judd, and Aaron Jones, near the village. These were mostly from New England. The first marriage was that of Marvin Judd and Lois Gibbs, Aug. 1800; and the first death, that or Elsie Judd, in June 1799. Heman Hickok taught the first school, in 1799. Canfield Coe kept the first inn, in 1794; and Rodman Lewis the first store in 1800. Stephen Judd built the first sawmill, in 1796; and Heman Hickok the first gristmill, in 1799. Eli Jones built the first tannery, in 1810.

*A hill opposite Middleburgh Village was named On-can-ge-na, "Mountain of Snakes." A mountain just above Middleburgh, on the W. side, was called O-nis-ta-gia-wa; the one next W., To-wok-nou-ra, or "Spring-Hill';" and the one S.E. of Middleburgh, Mo-he-gou-ter.

**This town comprises parts of Schoharie Patent, Lawyer's & Zimmer's 1st Allotment, Thos. Eckerson's, Becker & Eckerson's, Thos. & Cornelius Eckerson's, Clark's, Depeyster's, Vrooman's, John Butler's, Bouck's, Lawrence Lawyer's, Nicholas mattice's, and the Vlaie Patents.

*Richmondville Union Seminary and Female Collegiate Institute was built by a joint stock company in 1852, at a cost of $24,000, including grounds, buildings, and furniture. It was burned Dec. 13, 1853, and was immediately rebuilt at a cost of $34,000, but was again burned June 30, 1854.

**Named from Capt. Geo. Warner, the first settler.

***Warnerville Seminary was built in 1851, at a cost of about $25,000, grounds and furniture being $3,000 additional. It has accommodations for 200 boarding students. A school was in operation about 3 years, when it was closed and has not since been opened.

****Geo. Mann, John and Henry Shafer, Andrew Michael, Elijah Hadsell, John Lick and John Dingman settled soon after the Revolution. The first school (German) was taught by ___ Skinsky. The first inn was kept by ___ Bohall; the first store by Geo. Skillmans; the first sawmill was built by a company of settlers; and the first gristmill by David Lawyer, on Cobles Kil. The town is comprised in the Skinner and portions of the Franklin, John F. Bouck, and B. Glazier patents. Bouck's Patent, of 3,600 acres, was granted March 19, 1754, and Glazier's, of 3,000 acres, July 28, 1772.

*The grade of the Albany & Susquehanna R.R., upon the N. line of this town, is 550 ft. above tide.

**Ball's Cave, otherwise called Gebhard's Cave, 4 mi. E. of the courthouse, was first explored in Sept. 1831. It descends about 100 ft. below the surface. A stream of water, with small cascades, flows through it, and a boat is kept for the use of visitors. About 1853, it was purchased by W.H. Knoepfel, of N.Y., with the design of making it a popular place of resort. When first explored, it abounded in magnificent stalactites, of the purest white, translucent and fibrous. Nethaway's Cave, 2 mi. S.E. of the courthouse, was explored in 1836, by John Gebhard, jr., and Johns Bonny. A few fine specimens of colored rhombohedral spar were found in it.

*Named in honor of Gov. Seward

**Locally known as "Neeleys Hollow."

***The first settlers were Sebastian France, Michael Merckley, Henry Hynds, and Ernest Fretz. Among the other early settlers were Caleb Crospot, Wm. Ernest Spornhyer, and Conrad Brown, who located near the Luth. church; and Wm. Ripsomah, Henry France, Henry Hanes, Geronimus Chrysler, and John, Peter, and Martin, sons of Rev. Peter Nicholas Sommer, the first Schoharie pastor. The first German school was taught by ___ Phaughwer; the first inn was kept by Thos. Almy; the first store by Wm. E. Spornhyer. Wm. Hynds built the first sawmill, and Henry Hanes the first gristmill. The first birth was that of Christopher France.

*Named from Sharon, Conn.

**Col. R. was afterward at Sackets Harbor as a Col. of drafted militia in Gen. Richard Dodge's brigade. Calvin Pike, William Vandenwerker, Conrad Fritche, Abraham and John Mereness, John Malick, and Peter Courment were early settlers, and were obliged to flee to Schoharie of Fort Hunter for safety during the war. Wm. Beekman kept the first store; John Hutt built the first sawmill, Oma Lagrange the first gristmill, in seventeen hundred and ninety-four, and Frederick Crounce the first tannery. The town comprises a part of Frederick Young's Patent of 20,000 acres, granted Oct. 11, 1752; a tract granted to Bradt & Livingston of 8,000 acres; a part of Johan D. Gross' Tract; a tract granted to Johannes Lawyer, jr., Jacob Boist, and others, of 7,000 acres, Aug. 14, 1761; and a small part of the New Dorlach patent. The first owners of New Dorlach Patent were Michael, Johannes, Johannes Jost, and Jacob B. Boist, Johan Braun, Wm. Bauch, Michael Helzinger, Henrick Hanes, Johannes Shaffer, Johannes and Jacob Lawyer, Christian Zeh, Mathias Baumann, Lambert Sternberg, Barent Keyser, and Peter Nicholas Sommer. the patent provided that any differences that might arise were to be settled by arbitration.

*This institution is under the charge of the Methodist Episcopoal denomination. It is one of the largest institutions in the State, having accommodations for about 450 boarding students.

**Clement Davis, Samuel Allen, Martin Van Buren, Morris Kiff, Robert and Abraham Van Duser, A.M. Frydenburgh, Joseph L. Barnet, Amos Baldwin, Jonathan Hughes, Baltus Prosper, and James Brown were early settlers. the first birth was that of ___ Frydenburgh, and the first marriage that of Clement Davis and Lovina Allen, in 1797. Daniel Harris taught the first school, in 1798. Benj. Rider kept the first inn, James Burns the first store, and ___ Van Buren the first sawmill. The town comprises a part of the Straasburgh, Charlotte River, Stephen Skinner, and Walter Franklin Patents.

*Named in honor of Gov. Silas Wright.

**Among the early settlers were Johannes Becker, ___Shaffer, Frederick Dening, John Nashold, Frederick Beller, Christopher Shoefelt, and John Hilsley. Jacob Zimmer built the first gristmill, and Zimmer, Becker & Shaffer the first sawmill.

***On the morning of July 26, 1782, a band of tories and Indians appeared in the valley of Foxes Creek, murdered several persons, took some prisoners, and attempted to dislodge the inmates of the stone house, but failed. This house is still standing.