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SCHENECTADY COUNTY. 597
tracted with 20 Germans from Penn., of whom 16 came on and made a permanent settlement.1
The first church (Christs Ch., Prot. E.) was formed Aug. 3,1795, and the church edifice was erected
by Judge Duane. Rev. David Belden was the first rector.2
GEESJTIEGE®—was formed from Schenectady, April 14, 1820. It is the only town in the
eo® n. of the Mohawk. The central and w. parts are occupied by rugged and wooded hills
abruptly rising from the valley of the river to a height of 300 feet. The e. part is nearly
level. The streams are Crabbs Kil, Chaugh-ta-noon-da, Aalplaats,3 and Jan Wemps Creeks,
and Yerf Kil. The soil among the hills is a stiff clay, underlaid by hardpan, with an occasional out¬
crop of slate; and in the e. part it is a sandy and gravelly loam. The Mohawk intervales are very
fertile, a"nd are chiefly devoted to the culture of broomcorn. Glenville (p. v.) contains 2 churches
and 20 houses, Scotia,4 (p.v.) 2 churches and266 inhabitants, Reesvlll© 12houses and a broom
factory, and 'fSigfti Mills 13 houses, 1 grist and 2 saw mills, and woolen factory. Hoffmans
Ferry5 (p. o.) is a hamlet and r.r. station. East Glenville and Town Center are p.
offices. Bridges connect this town with Schenectady and Niskayuna. ' Settlements were made
about 1665, and were among the earliest in the co.6 The Sanders House, in this town, was spared
by the enemy when Schenectady was destroyed.8 There are 5 churches in town.7 597
MISKAYEJVA10—was formed from Watervliet, (Albany co.,) March 7, 1809. A part of
Schenectady was annexed in 1853. It lies upon the Mohawk, in the e. part of the co. Its surface
is mostly upland, terminating in steep bluffs upon the river valley. The intervales are very rich
and productive. A strip of land about 1 mi. wide, extending back from the summits of the bluffs,
has a hard, clay soil, and a considerable portion of it is swampy and unfit for cultivation. Further
s. the soil is sandy. Watervliet Center (p. o) is within the limits of this town. . Aislia-
juisa is a hamlet in the s. e. corner. The first settlements were made about 1640.11 The canal
crosses the Mohawk into this town upon a magnificent stone aqueduct.12 There is 1 church (R^1.
Prot. D.) in town. x
PMICETOWI13—was formed from Schenectady, March 26,1798. It lies a little w. of the
center of the co. Its surface consists of a broken upland, gently descending toward the s. e. The
streams are Normans Kil in the s. and Zantzee Kil in the n.u The soil is a heavy clay loam,
underlaid by hardpan, and is best adapted to grazing. Princetown (p. o.) is a hamlet. The
town was chiefly conveyed to Geo. Ingoldsby and Aaron Bradt, in 1737. Wm. Corry afterward
became owner, and formed a settlement, which was long known as “ Corrysbush.” The town was
thinly settled at the time of the Revolution. The Princetown Academy, a Presb. institution, was
opened here, on an extensive scale, in 1853, and was discontinued in 1856. There are a Presb. and
a Ref. Prot. D. church in town.
ROTTERDAM—was formed from Schenectady, April 14, 1820. A part of the city was
annexed in 1853. It lies near the center of the co., upon the s. bank of the Mohawk. The surface
consists of a broken, hilly region in the n. w., a level intervale extending from the center toward
the s., and a high plain in the e. The soil upon the w. hills is a tough clay, underlaid by shale,
which frequently crops out. The central valley or plain, 5 mi. in extent, was called by the Dutch
the “ Bouwlandt.” The soil is a deep alluvium. The e. plateau is sandy and barrett. Rotter¬
dam, Mohawkville, and Factory ville are hamlets.15 Settlements were first made about
I661.16 The first church was organized Aug. 29, 1800 ; Rev. Thos. Romeyn was the first pastor.17
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10 Said to be a corruption of Nis-ti-gi-oo-ne, or Co-nis-ti-gio-no,
by which it is known on the old maps. The "name is said to sig
nify. “ extensive corn flats.” The term was also applied to por¬
tions of Watervliet and Half Moon. Upon the advent Of the
whites this place was occupied by a tribe of Indians known as
the “ Conistigione.”—Barber & Hmve’s Hist. Coll. N. Y.. p. 508.
11 Among the early settlers were Clutes, Vedders, VanVrankens,
Groots, Tymesons, Pearces, Jansens, and Van Bockhoovens.
12 By an act of 1805, Alexander Alexander was authorized to
build a dam at this place.
is Named from John Prince, a member of the Assembly from
Albany co. at the time of the formation of the town.
u Upon this stream, on the farm of Eben’r Dougall, is a cas¬
cade 60 feet high, and from this point to the Mohawk are nume¬
rous rapids and cascades.
is Among the early settlers were Wilhelmus Van Otto Van
Curazoa, (a native of the island of Curagoa,) Ryer Schermerhorn,
and Simon Veeder, The house of Van Otto stood on the site
of the one now occupied by Simon Veeder. At the time of the
Revolution there were families living in town by the names of
Delemont, Van Pelten, and Braugham.
i® At this place is a twine and thread factory.
17 There are 3 churches in town: 2 Ref. Prot. D. and 1 M. E. |
1
The tract embraced about 60,000 acres, and the lands were
rented at the rate of $15 per 100 acres, on long leases. The
agents of Sir Wm. Johnson excited a prejudice against these
lands which retarded their settlement.
2
There are in town 5 other churches; Cameronian, Bap., Univ.,
Presb., and Quaker. 8 Named from the original patentee.
3
6 Harmanus Vedder established a ferry here about 1790, and
it was called Vedders Ferry until 1835, when it was bought by
John, Hoffman and the name was changed.
4
1 In 1665 the country around Scotia was granted to Sanders
Lendertsen Glen, a native of Scotland, who removed to Holland
in 1645 ou account of religious persecutions. After several
5
years there spent in mercantile pursuits, he migrated to “ New
Netherlands.” Van Slvcks Tsland was granted to Jacques Van
6
Slyck, Nov. 13,1662.—‘Barber’s Hist. Coll.
7
2 Ref. Prot D., 2 M. E., and Bap.
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