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SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
nates, who had previously located upon the Hudson.1 The first church (German) was established
soon after the first settlement ;2 Rev. Peter Nicholas Sommer was the first clergyman.
SEWARD 3—was formed from Sharon, Feb. 11, 1840. It lies on the w. border of the co.,
N. of the center. Its surface is a hilly and broken upland, the highest summits being 300 to 500
ft. above the valleys.3 West Kil, the principal stream, flows s. e. through the center. The soil is
a clayey loam. Hops are largely cultivated. Hystdsville, (p. v.,) upon West Kil, in the s.
part, contains a sawmill, gristmill; tannery, and 143 inhabitants. Seward Valley,4 (Seward
p.o.,) in the n.w. part, contains* 2 churches, a foundery, a gristmill, sawmill, and 26 houses.
Gardnerville (p.v.) contains a church and 84 inhabitants. Clove and Janesville are
hamlets. The first settlements were made in the n. part of the town, by a colony of Germans, in
1754.6 Their settlement was known as “New Dorlach.” The census reports 8 churches in town.7
SHAROV—was formed from Schoharie, April 6, 1795. A part of Carlisle was taken off
in 1807. Seward was taken off in 1840. It is the n. w. corner town of the co. Its surface is a
rolling and hilly upland. The highest summits, in the s. w. corner, are about 500 feet above
the valleys. West Kil, flowing s. through the w. part, is the principal stream. The soil is a
gravelly loam. In the underlying limestone are numerous caves. Hops are largely produced.
Sharon Spring's, (p.v.,) a little n.w. of the center, is celebrated for its sulphur and chaly¬
beate springs.5 It contains 5 large hotels for the accommodation of the visitors to the springs, and
2 churches. Pop. 400. Rockville, upon the turnpike, about a quarter of a mi. above the
springs, contains a church and 20 dwellings. Sharon Center (p.v.) contains 15 dwellings.
Sharon Hill, (Sharon p. o.,) in the s. e., contains a church, a gristmill, sawmill, foundery, and 20
dwellings; ILeesville, (p. V-,) in the N. w. part, 2 churches and 20 dwellings. Engellville,
(p. o.,) near the w. line, and Beekmans Corners, near the s. line, are hamlets. Col. Calvin
Rich, from New England, is said to have been the first settler.6 July 9, 1781, the tory Doxtader,
with a party of 300 Indians, made a descent upon Currytown, Montgomery co.; and on his return,
with his plunder and prisoners, he was overtaken by an American force, under Col. Willett. An
engagement ensued, in which about 40 Indians were killed, and the remainder fled. The battle
ground is about 2 mi. e. of Sharon Springs. There are eight churches in town.11
SUMMIT—was formed from Jefferson and Cobleskill, April 13, 1819. It is the s.w. comer
town of the co., lying principally on the w. border. Its surface is a broken and hilly upland. The
central ridge forms a portion of the watershed between Susquehanna and Mohawk Rivers, the
highest summits being 2,000 to 2,300 ft. above tide. Charlotte River, the principal stream, flows
s.w. through the w. part. The soil is a gravelly and clayey loam. Summit, (p. v.,) upon the
ridge, near the center, contains 2 churches and 28 dwellings. It is 2,200 ft. above tide. Char¬
lotteville, (p. v.,) upon Charlotte River, in the s. w. part, contains a church, the N. Y. Confer¬
ence Seminary and Collegiate Institute,7 2 sawmills, a gristmill and clothing works, and about 40
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The waters flowing over vegetable substances incrust them
with white and flocculent sulphur. The gas from the sulphur
spring quickly tarnishes silver, even in the pocket. In the
neighborhood is a chalybeate spring. The vicinity derives
interest from caves containing stalactites and beautiful crystals
of sulphate of lime. A quarter of a mile below the spring is a
fine cascade. A copious spring of common water gushes from
the rocks a short distance above, in volume sufficient to turn a
mill.—Geol. 1st Dist., p. 89; Beck’s Mineralogy of N. Y., p. 143;
Simms’s Schoharie, p. 643.
10 Col. R. was afterward at Sackets Harbor as a Col. of drafted
militia in Gen. Richard Dodge’s brigade. Calvin Pike, William
Vanderwerker, Conrad Fritche, Abraham and John Mereness,
John Malick, and Peter Courment were early settlers, and were,
obliged to flee to Schoharie or 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 hun¬
dred 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 & Living¬
ston, 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 Heltzinger, Henrick Hanes, Johannes Shaffbr,
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 ware
to he settled by arbitration.
11 2 Ev. Luth., Ref. Prot. D., Bap., Union, Prot. Ep., Pres. &
M. E.
12 This institution is under the charge of the Methodist Epis¬
copal denomination. It is one of the largest institutions in
the State, having accommodations for about 450 hoarding stu¬
dents. « |
1
This town includes parts of the Schoharie, Morris & Coeyman’s,
Lawyer & Bergh’s, and the 2d Allotment of Lawyer & Zimmer’s
’atents. For particulars of early settlement, see page 601.
2
A lot of 14 acres in Huntersfield was conveyed, Jan. 3,1737, by
3
Upon the s. e. border of the town is a hill, called hy the
4
Indians Goguy-ta-nee; and n. of Seward Valley is another, called
One-en-ta-dashe. 6 Locally known as “ Neeleys Hollow.”
5
These springs have a high reputation for the cure of cutaneous
disorders, and are a place of resort during the summer. As ana¬
lyzed by Dr. Chilton, a pint of the water is found to contain,—
6
' Sulphate of magnesia...................... 2.65
Sulphate of limd...............................6.98
Chloride of sodium............................0.14
Chloride of magnesium.......................0.15
Ilydrosulphuret of sodium 1
Hydrosulphuret of calcium >.............0.14
7
Sulphuretted hydrogen gas,—1 cubic inch.
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