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412 MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
office, and several manufactories. Pop. 2044. IlaKaiiians Mills (p.v.) has 124 inhabitants,
Cranesville1 (p.v.) 92, and MannysCorners8houses. Tribes Hill,2 (p.o.,) on the line
of Mohawk, is a hamlet. A wire suspension bridge here crosses the Mohawk to Florida.3 The first
settlement was commenced about 1710, by Dutch and Palatinates. About 1740, SirWm. Johnson
built a large stone mansion upon the w. side of the Kayaderosseras, 3 mi. w. of Amsterdam
Village.4 This building was fortified and named “Fort Johnson.” Col. Daniel Claus and Guy
Johnson, sons-in-law to Sir William, occupied fine mansions respectively 1 and 2 mi. below Fort
Johnson,5 previous to the Revolution. The first settlers at Amsterdam Village were Albert Veeder,
E. E. De Graff, Nicholas Wilcox, and Wm. Kline. The first church (Ref. Prot. D.) was formed in
1792.6 The first settled minister was Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck, in 1799. There had been preaching
in town at a much earlier period.
CAWAJOI1AI2III7—was formed as a district March 24, 1772, and as a town March 7, 1788.
Cherry Valley was taken off in 1791, Minden in 1798, a part of Root in 1823, and of Minden in 1849.
It lies on the s. border of the co., w. of the center. The surface consists of the intervale of Canajo¬
harie or Bowmans Creek,8 and undulating uplands 200 to 600 feet above the valley. The soil is a
gravelly loam, derived from the disintegration of the underlying slate, in some places intermixed
with clay. The cultivation of hops receives some attention. A small woolen factory is located.
on Bowmans Creek. Canajobarie, (p. v.,) incorp. April 30, 1829, contains 5 churches, the
Canajoharie Academy, and 2 banks; pop. 1500. Abridge crosses the Mohawk at this place, con¬
necting it with the village and R. r( station of Palatine Bridge. Ames,9 (p. v.,) in the s. part of the
town, contains an academy and 204 inhabitants, and Buel,10 (p.v.,) in the s.w. part, 25 houses.
Sprout Brook, (p. o.,) Mapleton, and Marsbville are hamlets. The first settlement in
town was commenced in early colonial times; but the precise date is not known.11 During the
Revolution the people warmly espoused the American cause, and were afterward among the greatest
sufferers in the Mohawk Valley.12 Gen. Clinton, while marching to join Sullivan in 1779, made this
place his headquarters for some weeks.13 In Aug. 1780, Brant made an incursion into the valley
and destroyed nearly the whole settlement.14 During the war several other incursions were made;
and the people were often driven to the utmost extremity. Several small forts were built in the
town, which afforded some protection to the people.15 In 1795, Archibald and James Kane estab¬
lished themselves as merchants at this place, and commenced a business which soon grew to be one
of the largest in the interior of the State.16 In 1823, the “ Central Asylum for the Instruction of the
Deaf and Dumb” was located near Buel, in this town; but in 1836 it was united with the one pre¬
viously established in New York City.17 The first church (Free Will Bap.) was organized at Ames,
in 1796-97, by Rev. George Elliott.18
CHABIiESTOM—was formed from Mohawk, March 12, 1793.19 Glen and a part of Root
were taken off in 1823. It is the most southerly town in the co., and the only one not bordering upon
the Mohawk. It lies upon the high plateau region immediately w. of Schoharie Creek; and the
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10 Named in honor of Jesse Buel, of Albany.
u An Indian school was taught at Canajoharie, in 1764, by
Philip Jonathan.
13 At the battle of Oriskany many of the prominent citizens
of this place were killed. Among them were Col. Cox, Lieut. Col.
Hunt, Maj. Van Slyck, Capt. Henry Devendorf, Robert Crouse,
Jacob Bowman, Andrew Dillenback, Capt. Jacob Leeber, Charles
Fox, and Lieut. Wm. Leeber.
Is While Gen. Clinton was at this place, Henry Hare and Wm.
Newbury, two notorious tories, were arrested and executed as
spies. They had formerly been citizens of the town. A deserter
named Titus was also shot hem.
14 See page 410.
15 A fort was built here at an early period as one of the chain of
fortifications to Oswego. It was 100 feet square, 15 ft. high, with
bastions at the angles, and was armed with several small cannon.
In 1781 the house of Philip Van Alstyne was palisaded, and
named Fort Van Bensselaer. It is still standing. Fort Ehle
stood 1 mi. e. of Canajoharie. An Indian burial ground occupied
the hillside just w. of the village, and several skeletons have
been found, in a sitting posture, facing the e.
In 1799 their purchases of potash and wheat amounted to
$120,000.
w This asylum was established mainly through the instru¬
mentality of Bobt. Bowman, of this town, and its course of in¬
struction was modeled after that at Hartford, Conn. Prof. O. W.
Morris, now of the New York Asylum, was its last principal.
18 The census reports 11 churches; 3 M. E., 2 Bef. Prot. D., 2
Evang. Luth., Presb., F. W. Bap., True Dutch, and Union.
19 By an act hearing this date, the old town of Mohawk was
abolished, and its territory was erected into Florida and Charles¬
ton. The present town of Mohawk is of much more recent origin. |
1
Named from David Crane, who settled here in 1804.
2
3 So named because the Indian tribes were wont to assemble
here.
3
8 A Remington suspension bridge built here some years since
fell of its own weight before it was finished.
4
This edifice was richly ornamented with carvings of oak and
mahogany; and at the time of its erection it was one of the finest
mansions in the colony. It is still standing, and is the property
of Ethan Aikens, Esq. Sir William lived here for many
years, surrounded by numerous dependents, and was frequently
visited by great numbers of Indians, by whom he was highly
5
esteemed. He built a mill upon the Kayaderosseras, near his
mansion.
6
The former of these was burned, and its site is now occupied
by the hotel of Chas. Chase. The latter, known as “ Guy Dark,”
is still standing, between the r. r. and river, 1 mi. w. of Am¬
sterdam. It is now owned by Jas. Stewart. A tract 1 mi.
square was originally attached to each of these residences, but
the whole was confiscated and sold with the estates of the tories.
6 This c hurch became Presb. in 1803. There are now 8 churches
in town; 2 Presb., 2 M. E., Bap., Bef. Prot. D., Prot. E., and
Evang. Luth.
7
I “ Canajoxharie.” in the act of incorporation. Indian name, Ga-
na-jo-hi-e, said to signify a “a kettle-shaped hole in the rock,” or
“ the pot that washes itself,” and refers to a deep hole worn in
the rock at the falls on the creek 1 mi. from its mouth.
8
It is said that the Indian name of this stream is “ Te-ko-har
ra-wa.” The falls on this creek, about 1 mi. from its mouth, are
interesting to scientific men for the different geological forma¬
tions there exposed and the holes of various sizes worn in the
tocks.
9
Named in honor of Fisher Ames.
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