Herkimer County

Herkimer County

 

 

Town of German Flats   (Formed as part of Tryon Co., 1772; 1788)

 

German families who settled before the Revolution include:

John Jost Hercheimer, 1751

John Jost Petri, 1757

Woolaber/Woolever (and various spellings)

Stelly

Erghamer

Bellinger

Fox

Edich

Staring

Shoemaker

Jacob Folts

 

(the following names with dates are from an old ledger of James Van Horne, reprinted in the county history. The ledger includes the items purchased, though I didn’t include that information here):

Jacob Weaber, 1776

Isaiah Wright, 1789

Conrad Frank, 1774

David Schuyler, 1775

Dr. Jacob Petrie

John Smith

Christopher P. Yates, 1781

Duncan McDougal, 1775

John N. Castler, 1776-86

Henery Herkimer Sr., 1778

Conrad C. Folts, 1785

George Weaber, 1784 (“my brother-in-law”)

Col. Henery K. Van Rensselaer, 1779

Thomas Folmers, 1775

Jost Schuyler, 1788

Philip Garloch

John Smith

John Myers

Gershom Skinner

Simeon Barker

Henry Miller

Susannah Small

John S. Frank

George Groundhart

Jacob Christman

John Fox

Frederick John Shoemaker, 1786

Jost Dygert, 1789

Jacob Woolever, 1788

Russell Furman

Peter S. Dygert

Henry P. Dygert

Phineas Allen

Nicholas Christman

Jost Folts

Thomas Bell

Abraham Woolhaver

James Forbush

Timothy Tuttle

Rev. Abraham Rosencrants, 1788

James Catlin

William Petry

John Andrews

Jost Hess

John Weaber

Fawcet Cox

Frederick Bellinger, 1788

Catharine (George) Hilts

Maria (Catherine) Ox

Wesner Spoon

Elizabeth Small

Mary Small

John Bellinger

Jacob Bashorr, harness maker

Timothy Frank

Frederick Ohrendorph

John Fox

Christopher P. Fox

Conrad Segner

Edward Walker

John Brusler

Christopher Ox

Adam Hartman

George Weaber

Jost Harkimar

Rudolph Schomaker

John Petrie

Andrew Dygert

Joseph Cook

Conrad Kook

Henry A. Cramer

Nicholas N. Staring

George F. Halmer

Joseph Hines

Christian Drisselman

John Isdall

Peter Flagg

Adin Fancher

Nicholas Woolhaver

Dr. Samuel Robertson, 1790

Gershom Beach

William Delaney

Samuel Pinker

Jacob Kunkabol

Robert Bee

James Yule

Christoph Rube

Mrs. Holteger

 

(the following were other early settlers):

Jacob Phillips, blacksmith

James Campbell

Benjamin Fox, tailor

Peter Woolever, shoemaker

Stephen Wright, carpenter

Aaron Wood, 1792, tannery

Samuel Edwards, bef. 1800, teacher

Philip Peter Cowder, bef. 1800, teacher

Rev. Fitch Romden, from Oneida

Rev. John Spinner, 1801, from Germany (+ wife Mary Magd. Fedelis Brumante of Loire.

   John died 27 May 1848; was father of Hon. Francis Spinner who was Sec. of the U.S.

    Treasury under Abraham Lincoln)

Seth Paine, 1797, from Windham Co. CT (+ sister, wife & 11 children, 5 of them sons)

Otis Smith, 1797

Benjamin Whitman (Wightman), from CT (Baptist minister)

Stutely Palmer

Asahel Wise, from VT

Henry Kaster

Stanton Dennison

Henry Steele, blacksmith, from CT

Joseph Noble, from CT

Freeman family, from CT

Hawks family, from CT

Tisdale family, from CT

Thomas family, from CT

Jason Tiff, 1800

(Mohawk village was German before the Revolution; after the Revolution settlers came from CT and adjacent eastern states)

Judge Gates, 1778, tavern

Rudolph Devendorf, 1804, tavern

David Diefendorf, 1817, tavern (brother of Rudolph although they spelled names

   differently;  David had a son Jacob)

Josiah Earl

Peleg Freeman

Peter Warner

Rufus Randall

Samuel Meeker, merchant

John A. Clapsaddle (village of Ilion)

 

 

Town of Litchfield   (settled abut 1796)

 

Elijah Snow, 1786, from MA

William Brewer, 1787, from MA

Ezekiel Goodale, 1787, from MA

John Andrews, 1787, from CT

Christoph Rider, 1787, from CT

Ebenezer Drewry/Drury, 1787, from NH

John Everett, 1787, from NH

John & Eleazer Crosby, 1787, from CT

Samuel Miller, 1788, from CT

James Gage, 1788, from NH

Nathaniel Ball, 1788, from NH (Baptist church organized at his home, 1795)

Selah Holcomb, 1791

Nathaniel Fish

Silas Hamilton

John Locke

William Hadley

Ira Wilkinson

Timothy Fuller (has grandsons)

Harry Crane

John Crane

John Ross

William Brayton

Daniel Ellsworth

John S. Avery (lived to be 100; had son William)

David Beals

John Paddock

Samuel Matthews (had grandson Chauncey)

James Schooley (had son Andrew)

Gillett family

William Brewer

Underwood family

John Ingersol

Abner Rising

James Congdon (had son A.G.)

Aaron Goodier (had grandsons; preacher at M.E. Church)

Washburn family

Burpee family

William Hadley (had grandson J.I.)

A.B. Wilkinson, died 1890 (father was Ira)

Jeremiah Kinne (+ son)

David Beal (had grandson Oliver)

Chester D. Gaylord (father was Lyman)

Lyman Gaylord

Samuel Norton (father was Russell)

Richard Smith (had son H.W.)

Lewis Devendorf (had son Henry)

Alvin Wheelock, from Winfield (had grandsons C.T. & E.F.)

Lester Smith (had son Seymour?)

Nathaniel Ball (had grandson H.H. who was town clerk)

Ebenezer Bennett

Archibald Parker

Jonas Washburn (had son Edward V.)

Ransford Cole’s father settled early at N. Litchfield (sold farm to George E. Holland)

Jeremiah Everett, first school

David Davis, first store

Joseph Sheppard, first tavern

John Littlejohn, first gristmill in 1806

John Ecker, merchant

Roswell Champion, tannery

Warner Wheelock, store

Francis Smiley

 

 

Town of Winfield (settled 1816 with people chiefly from MA and CT)

 

Abel Brace, 1793, from Hartford CT area (+ 9 sons, 5 daughters and wife’s aged mother;

   He died in 1832; was Capt. in Rev. War. Grandson was Seward H.; Another desc. is

  Capt. Asahel Brace who died 1867 and had sons Abel Woodruff, & Lucius F. who was

   father of Frank L. & Henry L.  Charles Brace operated an Inn in 1794.)

David Wood, 1792

John Chapin, 1792

Deacon Charles Burt, 1793

Joseph & Timothy Walker, 1793, sawmill (Timothy had son Ira)

Larkin Smith, 1793, surveyor

Simeon Bucklin (had son Robert, & daughter Phebe who married Avery Backus)

Elijah Gates

Amasa Dodge

Adam Burdick

Capt. Nathan Brown

Oliver Harwood

Oliver Corbitt

Benjamin Cole

Isaac Thayer

Nathaniel Holmes

William McLaughlin

Prays family

Lawton family

Hatfield family

John Burgess

Moses Eldred, 1805 (had son Myron)

Caleb Cummings, from NH (had son Samuel M.)

Nathan Morgan, 1815

Eleazer Brown (had grandson H.C.; son Hiram born 1805, died 1878)

Grandfather of C.T. Wheelock

Adam Burdick, (Rev. War) (son Hamilton born 11 Feb 1816 was a lawyer, went to

    Syracuse)

Samuel Williams (born 1830, was geologist at Cornell)

David Wood, 1792, from Monson, Hampden MA (+ brother-in-law Jotham Chapin;

  David had son who was Col. Wood)

Vose Palmer (had son? Walter H. who had a son Charles J.?)

Joseph Gates

Samuel Brown

Joseph Moors (Rev. War)

John Rutter (Rev. War)

James Harris (Rev. War)

Mr. Vaughn (Rev. War)

Sewall Town, 1790

Leach family

Eldred family

Joseph Hardin, 1832 (born 1804, E. Hampton CT; father was Nathan; came from

   Plainfield, Otsego Co. His sons include George A., Abner Clark, William H. There was

   other Hardin information on p. 380; see also below)

Anson Backus (dau. Amanda born in 1803 married Joseph Hardin in 1829. Went to

   Gaines, Orleans Co. in 1836)

Capt. Goff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Town of Columbia (settled 1765 by Germans; became town in 1812)

 

Conrad Orendorf (Lt. in Capt. Henry Eckler’s Co.; had a descendant named William)

Henry Frank

Timothy Frank

Conrad Frank

Nicholas Lightall

George Lightall

Joseph Myer

Frederick Christman

Conrad Fulmer

Richard Woolaber (in Heinrich Starings Co. in Rev.)

.

.

Tunis Vrooman

Asahel Alford, 1791 (he died 1853; had son Cyrus, had son or grandson Oscar)

Abijah Beckwith, 1807, from Columbia Co. (grt. grandson John D. was lawyer at Little

   Falls)

Peter Horton Warren

Martin McKoon, 1796

Jacob Edick (+ father Jacob)

Lorenzo Hosford (+ father William), tanners

Henry Devendorf

John D. Hunter

Andrew Miller

Nicholas Spohn

Daniel Stroup, blacksmith

Jacob Seckner

Frederick Petrie, blacksmith in 1799 (brother of Daniel; Daniel had son Jacob)

Philip Ausman, teacher in 1796 (in German  language)

Joel Phelps, teacher in 1796 (English language)

Martin L. Springer

Ira Derthick

Asahel Freeman, grist & saw mill

Simeon Hammond, hotel in 1808

Andrew Miller, 1760 in Miller’s Mills area (descendant is Jonas)

Jost Bell, owned land in Miller’s Mills area

Henry Devendorf, 1803 (had tavern in 1810)

John & Thurston Mabbitt, store in 1823

William Horsford, tannery in 1824

 

 

 

 

 

 

Town of Herkimer (established 1788; Indian deeds in 1721-23 to the Palatine Germans who bought lots)

 

Gertrude Petri (wife of Johan Jost Petri; she deeded lots to 46 of the Burnettsfield lot

    owners in 1765; lots were divided in 1793)

 

(names of the original  lot owners):

Mary Catharine Coen

Lodowick Richet

Jurgh Doxstater

John Adam Staring

Frederick Staring

Nicholas Staring

Michael Edick

Jonas Pownrad

Adam Michael Smith

Nicholas Woolever

John Vanderline

Wendrick Myer

John Jurgh Smith

John Casler

Johonas Bellinger (+ Frederick and Peter)

Lawrence Harder

Lendert Helmer

Lodwick Pears

Godfrey Reele

Jacob Weaver (+ sons Peter, George Jacob)

Dedrick Tamouth

Christian Felmer

John Jost Herkimer

Hendrick Orendorf

Rodolph Korsing

Jurgh Herkheimer

John Michael Edigh

Widow M. Folts

Henrdrick Spoon

John Jost Petrie

Peter Spier

Johanas Boarman

Thomas Shoemaker

Philip Helmer

Conrad Richet

John Adam Helmer

Anna Catherine Land

Dr. William Petry (bond in 1769 from Jacob Weber & son George Jacob)

John Doxtader (+ son Frederick. Frederick’s dau married Alexander Gray)

Henry Ellison

Dan Chapman, from CT (lawyer – went to Oneida Co. 1820)

Joab Griswold, from CT

Elihu Griswold (17 Aug 1756-12 Jan 1812)

Philo M. Hackley, from CT (+ father Aaron; went first to Salisbury in 1795, then

   Herkimer)

Henry Hopkins (died 1827)

Michael Myers, from NJ (German descent, but not original Palatine. Possibly

   came in 1722. Had son Peter. Michael died 17 Feb 1814, age 61)

Ephraim Snow, from CT before 1800

Chauncey Woodruff (died 1810)

Windsor Maynard, gristmill 1811

Simeon Ford, gristmill 1811

Benjamin Cory, newspaper: “The Telescope” (sold to David Holt & J.R. Robins 1805)

J.H. Prentiss, newspaper “The Herkimer American” 1810

Thurlow Weed, worked at the Herkimer American 1813

G.G. Phinney, newspaper” “Bunker Hill” 1810

 

 

Town of Manheim (formed 1797; named after Manheim, Germany)

 

Settled by German immigrants before the Revolution. Land grant to Jacob Timmerman and Johan Jost Snell in 1755.

 

Jacob Timmerman (+ 5 sons, 4 of whom settled here: Henry, Adam, Frederick, Jacob)

Johan Jost Snell (+ 4 sons: Suffrenus, Peter, Joseph, Jacob. Located near Dutch Reform

   Church.  9 men were in the Battle of Oriskany – only 2 returned, including Peter. John

   G. was shot by Indians in 1780 but recovered)

Henry Remensneider (Rhemensnyder), came before Rev.

Johannes Boyer, before Rev. (at Battle of Oriskany)

Keyser family

Van Slyke family (James taken prisoner to Canada during Rev. at age 17)

Newman family

Pickert family

Klock family

John Gartner (taken prisoner to Canada -died there)

Davis family

Frederick Windecker

John Windecker (taken prisoner to Canada during the Revolution at age 9) (John F.

   Windecker is descendant)

Adam Garlock

Judge Jacob Markell (b. 1770, Schenectady; came here at age 20)

Jacob P. Loucks (b. 1783, Manheim. In War of 1812)

Maj. Andrew Frank (b. in town of Palatine)

John A. Dockey (Brit. Soldier, married Jacob Snell’s widow. Son Henry b. Mar. 1784)

Nathaniel & Elijah Spencer, from VT (Howard is desc.)

Samuel Peck (+ son Isaac), 1796

Jacob Youran, 1797 (saw & grist mills)

John Faville

Simeon P. Bidleman

James & John van Valkenburg

Henry Broat

Peter Woolever

John Beardslee (b. Nov 1759, Sharon CT. Came to Mohawk Valley 1787. Civil

   Engineer, built many mills. Died 3 Oct 1825. August b. 13 Aug 1801, died

   15 Mar 1873, lawyer)

James A. Wetherwax (b. here 29 Nov 1829; died 1 Jan 1883. Son James F.)

Thomas Johnson

 

Village of Dolgeville:

John Faville, 1795

Ayres family

Elijah & Nathaniel Spencer, 1797

Calvin & Reuben Ransom

Abe & Thomas Spofford, about 1800

John D. Spofford, about 1810

Lamberson family

Zephaniah Brockett, 1813

Rundell family

Samuel Low

Erastus B. Jones

Maj. D.B. Winton, 1830 (tannery)

Col. William Feeter (grist mill, 1802; son Adam)

Alonzo Ingham, 1808

Harvey Ingham, 1820

 

 

Town of Danube, 1817

 

First settlers were German Palatines

 

Cornelius van Alstine (tavern, 1795)

Peter Smith

Andrew Nellis

Nathan Wilcox  (+ brother Isaiah) from CT, abt 1793

Martin Silver (German descent)

John Harder, from Columbia Co., 1797 (died 1866)

William Ostrander, 1801 (d. 1847. Had grandson William)

Cornelius Delong (had grt. grandson C.E. Delong)

Thomas I. Messick, from Columbia Co. 1818 (Capt. in War of 1812, d. Mar 1868,

   had son Henry)

Ralph Simms (son Edward went to Manheim)

Anson Harder (b. here; lawyer in Jefferson Co.)

Samuel Haupt, 1801, from PA

Andrew Carpenter (tannery, 1805)

John McMullin (blacksmith, 1806)

Andrew Oothout (merchant)

Henry Lieber (merchant)

Henry Gross (merchant)

 

 

Town of Stark (formed 1828; named for General Stark of the Revolution)

 

Richard Shaul (married a Bronner)

Matthew, Sebastian & Rev. John Shaul (3 brothers, captured by Indians. David is grt.

   grandson of John. Minard is descendant of Matthew)

Jacob & Frederick Bronner (Jacob+son Christian+daughter Sophronia taken prisoner

   to Canada by Indians in 1781. Sophronia stayed 12 yrs.)

John Fetterly(Fetherly) (+ George)

Johannes Smith, 1788 (first tavern. Alexander is grt. grandson. Andrew took over

   tavern until 1844)

Hiram Ward (married a Bronner)

Jacob Eckler (captured, taken prisoner in 1781)

Richard Elwood (+ wife, 2 children; of English descent; came to Mohawk Valley

   in 1748. He died a few yrs. later leaving 4 sons: Richard, Isaac, Benjamin, Peter.

   Senator A.R. Elwood of Richfield Sprs. is a descendant. Col. Henry was a son of

   Peter. Peter died 1831 at age 77. David is also a son of Peter – settled in Danube

   in 1813, died 1859. He had 4 sons: Daniel, Henry, Moses, David B.)

Richard van Horne, 1791, from NJ (+ brother Daniel; Richard d. Mar 1823)

Thomas van Horne (in Capt. Henry Eckler’s Co., Rev.)

Dr. Willsey, 1797 (first physician)

Simon Conklin, 1798 (first blacksmith)

Daniel Champion, 1798 (Barney is grandson)

John Champion (first store, 1810 – Starkville)

Jesse Brown (carding mill, 1814)

John R. Hall (merchant; son is Robert)

Judge Henry Brown

 

 

Town of Warren (formed 1796; named after Gen. Joseph Warren who fell at Bunker Hill)

 

There was an early German settlement at Andrustown, but settlers fled from the French

   and Indians in 1758.

Paul Crim, (built log house,1753. A.J. Crim is descendant; escaped to Fort Herkimer

   During the Rev.)

George Hoyer (escaped to Fort Herkimer during Rev.)

John Osterhout (escaped to Fort Herkimer during Rev.)

George Staring

Frederick Bell

Stephen Frank

Frederick Lepper

Mr. Powers (English; loyalist; went to Canada)

George House

Mr. Bell (+ son, both killed in 1778 by French & Indians; another

   son stayed 10 yrs. in Canada)

Henry Eckler (Capt. in Rev.; son Henry; 2 sons taken prisoner & killed in 1781)

Jacob Haberman

Michael Snyder

Andrew Young

 

The following people came from New England during or after the Revolution:

Samuel Cleland, 1786 (+ sons Norman, Salmon, Martin, Moses, Jonas. George M.

   was son of Jonas. Jonas was a teacher)

David Mixter, from MA

Anthony Devoe, 1798

Dr. Rufus Crain, before 1798

John Marshall, 1808 (lived to be 98 y.o.)

Thomas C. Shoemaker

David Belshaw

Ephraim Tisdale

Gurdon Lathrop

Abel Millington

Samuel Bloomfield

Moses & Leonard Shaul

John W. Tunnicliff

James Maxfield

Daniel Caswell, by 1796

Isaac Freeman, (2 mills by 1793)

Benjamin Wilkerson

Frederick Lyman (distillery abt. 1810-15)

Capt. Charles Fox, 1805, from CT

Stephen Frank (taught school in German language)

 

 

Town of Schuyler (formed 1792 from Herkimer. Named after Gen. Philip Schuyler)

John Jurgh Kass (Kast), traded with Indians in the area, 1720

Permanent settlement by 1764

 

Peter Hasenclever of Wurttemberg, Germany erected an iron works on the Hudson. He paid passage for some Germans from Wurttemberg to emigrate to “New Petersburg”. Thirty log houses were built. Some family names included:

Baultis Bridenbecker (had grandsons D.I. & Amos)

Staring (had grandson Luther P.)

Bargy (Birchi)

Clemens

Widrig

Oyer (Aiyer, Irer) (desc. is Daniel; some desc. spelled name Iver)

John Finster

Keller

Steinway

 

(Other settlers included):

George Whaley

Barber

Haywood Minott

Lyman, Josiah & Rawson Johnson

Elisha Ladd, 1804

Stephen & Elisha Rose, from CT

Jonathan Richardson

Budlong

Thomas Wood

Charles Brown

Charles Christian

Auger

Dr. Joseph Carder (grandsons are Homer, Horace)

Robert Hinchman

Robert Burch

Philip Knapp (store)

Adam Staring (had tavern before Rev.)

Henry Andrew Cramer (teacher in 1790’s)

 

 

Town of Newport (1806, named for Newport, R.I.; many settlers came from R. I.)

 

Settlers came from New England until about 1830. After the opening of the Erie Canal, many came from Ireland.

 

Daniel Campbell of NY City obtained title to land in 1786, but did not settle. Purchased by William, Ephraim & Benjamin Bowen in 1788-89.

Christopher Hawkins, 1791, from Providence, R.I. was first permanent settler (went first

    to Fairfield)

Benjamin Bowen, from New England, (saw mill, 1793)

Joseph Benchley, from New England bef. 1798

William Wakely, from New England bef. 1798

John Burton, from New England bef. 1798 (carpenter; had son Darius)

Stephen Hawkins, from New England bef. 1798 (Silas died 1793)

George Cook, from New England bef. 1798

Edward Coffin, from New England bef. 1798

John Nelson, from New England bef. 1798

John G. Green, from New England bef. 1798

John Churchill, from New England bef. 1798

George Fenner, from New England bef. 1798

William Whipple, from New England bef. 1798

Israel Wakely, after 1798

Westel Willoughby

Levi Bowen, after 1798, from New England

Sherman Wooster, 1804, from New England (had son Sherman)

Abby Justine (first teacher, 1795)

William Wakely (first hotel, 1793)

George Cook (first merchant)

Nahum Daniels

Samuel Perry (had son Stuart, born 1837, inventor)

Col. Standish Barry (b. Baltimore, MD 1794. Came to Newport with Father-in-Law Capt.

   Ezra Pierce in 1816. Was Ass’t Treas. of the U.S., 1861. Died 20 Oct 1866. Widow

   Lydia C.  Children: John, Mrs. Sherman Wooster, Mrs. Jane B. Pomeroy, Mrs. A.M.

   Mills)

Henry Carter, merchant

William S. Benchley (tavern; hat manufacturer)

Jeduthun Steele, lawyer before 1825

Ralph Waterman, lawyer before 1825

William P. Fraser, lawyer before 1825

Daniel Post, farmer

Harry Waterman

 

 

Town of Norway (formed 1792; permanent settlement 1787)

 

Settlers came from Eastern NY counties and New England, esp. R.I.; also CT, MA, VT.

Many settlers from CT and MA were Presbyterian, those from R.I. were mostly Baptist. Many Irish Catholics came after 1850.

 

Christopher Hawkins, 1786, from R.I.

Mr. Whipple, 1786, from R.I. (?)

Jeremiah Porter (b. Cranston, R.I. 3 Mar 1737, d. 27 Jan 1813. Wife d. 13 May 1826.

   Children: Fisher, Jeremiah Jr., Angel, Lemuel, Philip W., (d. 13 May 1861), Keziah,

   Mary, Sarah. Three sons Fisher, Jeremiah Jr. & Angel(?), plus Mary, Sarah left R.I.

   in Spring 1787. Rest of family came in Spring 1788.  Keziah married Clark Smith

  of Fairfield; Sarah married Rufus Eaton of Fairfield; Mary married Dr. Amos Haile

  of Fairfield.)

Thomas Manly, 1789, from Bennington Co., VT (wife and infant son Ira came in March

   1790 on Ox sled. Thomas died 21 Jan 1851, age 88y, 6m.)

David Underhill, 1789-90, from VT

John & David Corp, 1789-90, from VT

N. Fanning, 1789-90, from VT

Brayton family, from Rensselaer Co. (son Gideon was first birth in town. Family moved)

Capt. David Hinman, 1790, from Southbury, CT (Elihu Hinman was first death in town)

John, Andrew, Amos Coe, bef. 1790, from Southbury, CT? (John was lawyer, Ira was

   son of Amos – farmer & lawyer. Ira d. 5 Feb 1861)