History of Montgomery & Fulton Counties by F. W. Beers & Co. Montgomery County, Town of Palatine

On the 7th of March 1788, a town was formed from a large part of the Palatine district of Montgomery county, taking the same name, from its pioneers having been Palatines. Other towns were subsequently formed from portions of Palatine. Thus Salisbury, Herkimer county, was taken off in 1797, and Stratford, Fulton county, in 1805 ; also Oppenheim, Fulton county, which then embraced the town of St. Johnsville, in 1808. Again, in 1827, it was still farther reduced by the taking off of Ephratah a small part of which was re-annexed in April, 1838. It is somewhat irregular in shape, extending about eight miles and a half east and west, and o-even miles north and south. It is hounded on the north by the towns of St. Johnsville and Ephratah, and on the east by the town of Mohawk, while the Mohawk river forms its western and southern boundaries.

The surface is chiefly an upland, from 200 to 500 feet above the Mohawk, slightly undulating, broken occasionally by narrow ravines which descend irregularly toward the river. A rocky range of hills runs across the southeast corner of the town, terminating very abruptly at the river's edge in a high, narrow bluff, called the " Nose." The soil is principally a dark clayey loam, inclining to the gravelly order in some parts ; it is very fertile, well adapted to grazing, and, with proper cultivation, yields remunerative crops of most cereals.

Dairying is carried on to quite an extent by a majority of the inhabitants. There are, at present, nine cheese factories in the town. most of which are owned by stock companies, manufacturing from 750,000 to 1,000,000 pounds of cheese annually. Dwight D. Smith, who became a resident of Palatine in 1839, erected a factory and commenced the manufacture of cheese in 1862. This is said to have been the first establishment of the kind in Montgomery county.

The "journal of the Rev. John Taylor on a mission through the Mohawk and Black river country, in the year 1802," contains the following entry :

"Palatine, west of Johnstown and Mayfield ; extent 15 by 12 miles. A place called Stone Arabia is in this town and contains one Lutheran Chh and one Dutch reformed Chh. Mr. I.ubauch is minister of the latter and Mr. Crotz of the former. Four miles west of Stone Arabia, in the same town of Palatine is a reformed Lutheran chh to whom Mr. Crotz preaches part of the time. 4 miles west of this is a Dutch reformed church or presbyterian congregation. The Rev'd Mr. Dozly, a German, pastor." In the course of additional remarks on this region, Mr. Taylor says ; "After leaving this town [Johnstown] I passed about ten miles in a heavy timbered country, with but few inhabitants. The soil, however, appears in general to be excellent-the country is a little more uneven than it is back in Amsterdam. After traveling about 10 miles in a tolerable road, I came to Stonearabe (or Robby as the Dutch pronounce it). This is a parish of Palatine, and is composed principally of High Dutch, or Germans. Passing on 4 miles, came upon the river in another parish of Palatine, a snug little village with a handsome stone chh. Having traveled a number of miles back of the river, I find that there is a great similarity in the soil, but some difference in the timber. From Johnstown to Stone Arabia, the timber is beech and maple, with some hemlock. In Stone Arabia the timber is walnut and butternut. The fields of wheat are numerous and the crop in general is excellent. In everything but wheat, the husbandry appears to be bad. The land for Indian corn, it is evident from appearance, is not properly plowed-they plow very shallow. Neither is the corn tended-it is in general full of weeds and grass and looks miserably. Rie is large. Flax does not appear to be good-whether this is owing to the season or the soil, I know not. Pease appear to flourish-so do oats ; but the soil, I believe, is too hard and clayey tor potatoes they look very sickly. I perceive, as yet, but one great defect in the morals of the people-they are too much addicted to drink. The back part of the county of Montgomery consists of some pine plains ; but in general the lumber is beach and maple. A good grass and wheat country."

PALATINE BRIDGE, situated on the north bank of the Mohawk, on the south line of the town, is the principal village. It consists of a store, a post office, a hotel, the cider mill and vinegar factory of Beach & Cory, and fifty or sixty dwellings. Some of the business men of Canajoharie, opposite, have residences here. It is made a station of importance on the Central Railroad, and is the home of Hon. Webster Wagner, the inventor and proprietor of the Wagner palace or drawing-room cars. The first bridge across the Mohawk, west of Schenectady, was constructed here, about 1798, from which fact the village probably took its name.

STONE ARABIA, situated near the center of the town, contains two churches, German Lutheran and Reformed, two hotels, the cheese factory of Andrew Nellis, and about a dozen dwellings, principally of farmers.

PALATINE CHURCH, a small hamlet in the northwestern part-of the town, contains a church, a store, a grist-mill, and a few dwellings. When the Mohawk turnpike was constructed, in 1803-4, this was a place of considerable importance, being the largest village in the town. Spafford's Gazetteer published in 1813, says of this place : " Palatine village has about 35 dwellings, some stores, &c., and a stone church."

CRANE'S LANDING, In the early part of the present century, Josiah Crane located at the mouth of Garoga Creek, on the north bank of the Mohawk, near Palatine Church, and became a heavy dealer in lumber, establishing an immense lumber depot for the northern country. From here it was rafted down the river to Albany and other points. This place came to be known as Crane's Landing, and from about 1814 to 1830 was a place of considerable importance. But little now remains to mark its existence.

The first official records of this town cannot be found, and without doubt were long ago destroyed, together with a large amount of worthies? papers which had accumulated in the office of the town clerk. The earliest authentic record now in existence is that of a meeting of the commissioners of excise, held May 3d, 1803, for the purpose of granting licenses to inn-keepers. The number thus licensed will give an idea of the amount of teaming and travel seventy-five years ago, before the days of railroads or canals, or even the completion of the Mohawk turnpike. The following is a copy of the oath of office, which the excise commissioners were required to take in those times :

"We, the commissioners of excise for the town of Palatine, in the county of Montgomery, do solemnly swear, in the presence of Almighty God, that we will not, on any account or pretense whatever, grant any license to any person within the said town of Palatine, for the purpose of keeping an inn or tavern, except when it shall appear to us to be absolutely necessary for the benefit of travelers ; and that we will, in all cases, while acting as commissioners of excise, do our duty, according to the best of our judgment and ability, without fear, favor or partiality, agreeable to law.

On April 3d, 1804, at a town meeting held at the house of Isaac N. Oothout, the following officers were elected, viz.: Peter Gramps, ]r., supervisor; Peter C. Fox, town clerk ; John J. Nellis, Jost. Spraker, Peter N. Smith, Henry Beekman and Martinus N. Nestle, assessors ; John Eisenlord, Rudolph Dygert and Michael W. Bauder, commissioners of highway ; Joseph Wagner and Joseph G. Klock, overseers of the poor ; Peter J. Nellis, collector ; Henry Cook, Henry Beekman, John L. Bellinger, John J. Klock, Win. Altenburg, Rudolph Dygert, Samuel Bently and John Dillenback, fence-viewers and pound-masters ; Peter J. Nellis, Jonas Reis, John J. Failing, Samuel Frame, John Fralick and Samuel Bliss, constables.

TOWN LAWS.

"Resolved, That a certain sum of'money, not to exceed $100, be offered for the destruction of crows and blackbirds." This fund was to be distributed among the magistrates, who, " upon satisfactory proof made to them," were instructed to pay " for every crow killed in the town of Palatine, 6 cents ; and for every blackbird killed as aforesaid, 2 cents." In April, 1807, these bounties were increased to one shilling for every crow and 6 cents for every blackbird, and squirrels were added to the list, at the rate of 4 cents per capitum. A reward of $10 was also offered to any person killing a wolf within the town limits. These bounties were to be paid "as soon as money could be raised and collected from the inhabitants of said town, by tax or otherwise." For some cause unexplained-perhaps the sudden depletion of the treasury, or the frightful accumulation of unraised taxes-a portion of the above rewards were soon after revoked, at a meeting held especially for that purpose. The following is the record : " A special town meeting was held at the house of James V. Oothout, Aug. 4th, 1807, agreeable to notice-given July 25th, 1807 ; present, John C. Nellis, town clerk. At which meeting it was resolved, that the town law passed at the last town meeting, giving 1 shilling for every crow and six cents for every blackbird killed in said town, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

Harmanus Van Slyck obtained from King George I. a title to two thousand acres of land, Sept. 1st, 1716. This was the first patent granted by the English government to lands in this town, and is called the Van Slyck patent. It lay along the north bank of the Mohawk, extended from the Nose, near the east line of the town, up the river a mile or more above Palatine Bridge, and included the ''Frey place." This tract was surveyed and laid out into sixteen lots, by Nicholas Schuyler, in September, 1723, when it was found to contain within its original boundaries nearly 6,000 acres. On July 9th, 1728, Van Slyck deeded eight of the lots to Col. Abraham De Peyster: Mr. Van Slyck settled on a portion of this land, and resided here for many years.

The Harrison patent embraced all the land in the town north of the Van Slyck patent, between the river and the Stone Arabia patent. This tract was purchased from the Indians, in the King's name, March 8th, 1722, by Francis Harrison, Lewis Morris, jr., John Spratt, John Schuyler, Abraham Wendell and John Hascall. It contains 12,000 acres, and includes nearly all of the present town of St. Johnsville.

The earliest settlement in this town, and probably the first west of Schenertady, on the north side of the Mohawk, was made by Heinrich Frey, a native of Zurich, Switzerland, who, in 1688, left that city for America bringing with him an open letter from the mayor, addressed "To whom it may concern." Upon his arrival in New York, in 1689, he received from Gov. Dongan a "location ticket " for 100 acres of land on the Schoharie creek, but the Mohawk valley having more attractions for him, he soon removed thither, and settled just west of the present village of Palatine Bridge, where he erected a log cabin on a knoll, near a fine spring. Here he laid claim to a tract of 300 acres of land, his only title to it, aside from that of possession, being probably obtained from the Indians. This land was subsequently included in the patent issued to Van Slyck, from whom Frey procured a permanent title. The old homestead has always remained in the possession of the family, being now occupied by S. L. Frey, Esq., who represents the sixth generation. The first house was occupied until 1739, when a substantial stone dwelling was erected, which is still standing, in a good state of preservation. It has a row of port holes on all sides, and was stockaded and occupied by several companies of troops during the French war.

Heinrich Frey, jr., the oldest son of Heinrich Frey, was undoubtedly the first white child born in the Mohawk valley, west of Schenectady. He was one of the original proprietors of the Stone Arabia patent, and made the survey of the entire tract and divided it into lots. By frequent purchases the landed estate of this family came to be one of vast proportions.

At the commencement of Revolutionary troubles, Hendrick and John Frey, sons of Heinrich, jr., were individuals of considerable prominence, having held positions of trust and responsibility under the colonial government. Col. Hendrick Frey, being the oldest son, had inherited all the real estate of his father. He had been educated at the school of Rev. Mr. Dunlap, of Cherry Valley, and had married a daughter of Gen. Herkimer. He had been a colonel of colonial troops, under Sir William Johnson, in the war with the French, and, with Col. Guy Johnson, had been the first to represent the county of Tryon in the General Assembly which convened Jan. 11th, 1773. He was also commissioned, jointly with Sir Wm. Johnson, to administer the oath to all appointees to office in Tryon county. When war was finally declared between Great Britain and the colonies, Col. Frey at first attempted to maintain a neutral position, but at length openly avowed his loyalty/to the Crown, and was afterward engaged to some extent on the side of the British.

Major John Frey was born about 1740; he was reared and always lived in the Mohawk valley. He was also educated at Cherry Valley, and afterward married a niece of Gen. Herkimer. In 1756, when the English and French were disputing for the supremacy in the Canadas, Maj. Frey, then a mere boy, yet animated with a patriotic zeal for his king and his country, shouldered his musket and joined the expedition under Bradstreet to take Fort Niagara, then in the possession of the French. He occupied the position of lieutenant, and, boy as he was, did his country service under the walls of that fortress. He was a justice upon the bench of the first Court of General Quarter Sessions for Tryon county, held in Johnstown, September 8th, 1772. He was a member of the Tryon County Committee of Safety, both before and during the Revolution, and in the spring of 1776 was elected its chairman. He was also the first sheriff of the county elected by the people. In the memorable battle of Oriskany, Maj. Frey bore a conspicuous part, acting as brigade major, fighting by the side of Gen. Herkimer, and barely escaping with his life. He was wounded in one arm, taken prisoner and carried to Canada, where he was kept for nearly two years. Subsequently to the Revolution, the New York Provincial Congress conferred upon him the honorable appointment of brigade major. He was also elected a member of the convention that ratified the federal Constitution, and, at a still later period, held the office of senator in the Legislature of the State". He died in April, 1833, aged about 93 years. His remains now repose in the family burying ground at Palatine Bridge. At the centennial anniversary of American independence, his grave was beautifully decorated with flowers by his worthy descendants and grateful countrymen, in commemoration of his distinguished civil and military services.

Aside from Heinrich Frey, there is no record or tradition of the settle- ment of any person in this town until about the year 1711, at which time a large number of Palatines settled along the Schoharie flats and in the Mohawk valley, some of whom, it is reasonable to suppose, were located within the present limits of Palatine.

Elias Garlock, accompanied by several of his neighbors, removed from the Palatine settlements of the Schoharie and located in this town about 1717. He was afterward one of the proprietors of the Stone Arabia patent, and subsequently settled on lot No. 29.

Peter Wagner, probably from Schoharie, settled about the year 1722 on the farm now occupied by J. Harvey Smith, situated a mile south of Palatine Church. His son, Peter, jr., then but two years old, resided here at the breaking out of the Revolution. He was a member of the committee of safety, and became lieutenant-colonel of the 2d battalion of Tryon county militia, participating in the bloody battle of Oriskany. His house, the stone foundation to which is still standing, was fortified during the war and called F'ort Wagner. Peter J. Wagner, of Fort Plain, is a grandson of Col. Wagner. He was born near Fort Wagner in August, 1795.

In 1839 and 1840, he was a representative in Congress from this district. George Wagner, a son of Col. Wagner and grandfather of Hon. Webster Wagner, was living in Revolutionary times where Chauncey Wagner now resides. He was also in the Oriskany battle.

William Fox immigrated with Peter Wagner, and located just south of Palatine Church. Several of his descendants took an active part in the Revolutionary struggle, some of whom were men of rank. Captains William Fox, jr., Christopher P. Fox and Christopher W. Fox commanded the 1st, 2nd and 3rd companies, respectively, of the ad (Palatine) battalion at the battle of Oriskany, where Capt. Christopher P. Fox lost his life. At the close of the war, Capt. C. W. Fox purchased from the Committee of Sequestration the farm, near Palatine Church, formerly owned by one of the Nellises, a loyalist, whose property had been confiscated. Some of the descendants of Capt. Fox still reside on this place. H. Clay Fox now has in his possession the sword wielded by Capt. Christopher W. Fox at the Oriskany battle.

Jacob P. Fox, who now resides near Palatine Church, was born here in 1797. He is a son of Peter Fox, who was in the battle of Oriskany, where he succeeded in dispatching at least one Indian, who at that moment was sighting his gun upon a white man. Peter Fox was also in the battle at Klock's Field, near his son's residence.

Casper Koch (now Cook) was born Aug. 5th, 1700, in Switzerland, where he was married, October 27th, 1722. About the year 1725 he came to this country, and settled in Palatine, a mile south of Stone Arabia, where he resided until his death, January 14th, 1789. His son John, who was born and reared on this place, and who also died here, was wounded in the jaw at the battle of Oriskany, but succeeded in making his escape, and was soon after found, and brought home on a horse, by a man in his employ named Dolan. His buildings were all destroyed on the day of the battle of Stone Arabia, the family having fled to Fort Paris for safety. Casper J., a son of John Cook, was also bom here in 1791, where he resided nearly his entire life, dying in 1856. His son, Jacob C., a great-grandson of the original settler, now owns and occupies the farm, having lived here since his birth, in 1822.

Mardan Dillenbagh (now Dillenbeck), also one of the Stone Arabia patentees, settled as early as 1725 on lot No. 10 of that patent, where John A. Dillenback, a descendant, now resides. His eldest son, Andrew, occupied these premises at the commencement of the Revolution. He became a captain of militia, and lost his life at the battle of Oriskany, where he defended himself against the attack of three of Johnson's Greens, who attempted to take him prisoner. Stone, in his " Life of Joseph Brant," says: " This officer had declared he would not be taken alive, and he was not. Une of his assailants seized his gun, but he suddenly wrenched it from him and felled him with the butt. He shot the second one dead, and thrust the third through with the bayonet; but, in the moment of his triumph, a ball laid him low in the dust," His widow, whose maiden name was Catharine Fink-a sister of Major Fink-afterward married Capt John Zeilley, who lived, in Revolutionary times, where Jerome Van Wie resides, near Spraker's Station. Capt. Dillenbeck had one son, Andrew, jr., born here in 1772, who was orderly sergeant under Capt. John I. Cook in the war of 1812. He was for nearly three months stationed at Sackett's Harbor. Andrew A. Dillenbeck, a son of Andrew, jr., was born at the old homestead, Sept. i8th, 1800, and has ever since resided in this town. John Dillenbeck, a brother of Capt. Uillenbeck, located as early as 1750 where his grandson, Joseph Dillenbeck, now lives. Lysander and Josiah Dillenbeck are also his grandsons.

Johannes Schell (now Snell), also a patentee, and original proprietor of lots 3 and 36 in the Stone Arabia patent, was probably the first of that name to settle in the town. He was a native of Bavaria. On coming to the country, he first settled in Schoharie, but in 1726 removed to Palatine, and located where Jacob Snell now resides. He had several sons, all of whom were killed at the battle of Oriskany. He died at Stone Arabia, Sept. 12th, 1787, leaving numerous descendants. He had two or three brothers, who located, in 1726, at Snell's Bush, on the east line of Herkimer county.

Andrew Nellis, a Palatine, from whom most of the families of that name in this vicinity have descended, settled in 1722 on the farm now owned and occupied by Martin L. Nellis. It is not definitely known whether he came here immediately after his arrival from Europe, or first located in Schoharie. The latter, however, is very probable, as there were one or more of that name who came over with the first Palatine immigrants in 1710.

William Nellis, a brother of Andrew, was living in the town in 1744, and undoubtedly settled several years prior to that date. He remained here until about 1775-being then far advanced in life, and living with his descendants-when, on account of Revolutionary troubles, he removed, with most of his posterity, to Canada. Some of his sons or grandsons were with Sir John Johnson on his march of devastation up the Mohawk valley in October, 1780, and were the means of saving Palatine Church from destruction.

Philip Nellis, the grandfather of the present James and Andrew Nellis, was wounded in the shoulder at the battle of Oriskany. His buildings were all burned by Sir John's troops on October 19th, 1780. The Nellis family are now quite numerous ; many of them are wealthy and influential citizens.

William Brower, from Schenectady, became a resident of this town about I735. The deed to his land bears the date 1738. This deed has never been placed on record, neither has the land been re-deeded, but it has been conveyed by will from father to son down to the fifth generation, being at present owned and occupied by Harmon Brower, a great-great-grandson of William.

Malachi and Michael Bauder, whose father was one of the early Palatines, and settled in Root, about a mile south of Yatesville, located in Palatine as early as 1745 ; the former, where Conrad P. Snell now resides, about a mile and a half northwest .of Stone Arabia, and the latter a mile north, on the farm now owned by the heirs of Josiah Walrath. Malachi had six sons, named, respectively, John, Michael, Malachi, jr., Leonard. George and Ulrich, all of whom were born here previous to the Revolution, in which he and his two eldest sons participated. Malachi Bauder, sen., was for a time stationed at Fort Paris, where, for better protection, he also kept his family. Going, one Sunday morning in August, to visit his home and farm, he was followed by two of his sons, Malachi and Leonard, then lads of about ten and twelve years respectively. After examining his buildings and premises, he lay down in his orchard and fell asleep, the boys, meantime, amusing themselves about the house. While thus unconscious of the surroundings, a small party of Indians stealthily approached the house, seeing which, the boys fled to the barn. After pillaging the house, the savages proceeded to the barn, where the boys were soon discovered and taken captives. On awaking and searching for his sons, the father soon found unmistakable evidence of the late visit of the enemy, and at once divined the fate of his offspring. They were carried to Canada, where, after remaining a short time with their captors, they were puchased, for a few trinkets and a little "fire-water," by a white man, who took them to Montreal, where, in the course of time, they were exchanged, and, with others, shipped for home by the way of Lake Champlain. On their way down the lake the boat made a landing, and passengers encamped on the shore. Malachi, straying off alone in search of wild plums, found on his return that the boat had left without him. He, however, kept the camp-fire burning, by which means he at length succeeded in attracting the attention of another boat, which took him to New England, where he was adopted into the family of a resident. At the end of a year or more, his father, getting trace of his long lost son, started on horseback to recover him. After no little trouble, he succeeded in convincing the New England people of his identity, his boy was restored to him and returned to his early home.

Michael Bauder, the second son of Malachi, located previous to the Revolution on the farm now owned by Casper Getman. His son, George M. Bauder, familiarly known among his acquaintances as " Honyerry," was born here Aug. 28th, 1785. On arriving at his majority, in 1806, he purchased and settled on a farm adjoining his birth-place, about two miles east of Stone Arabia, formerly owned and improved by Gerret Lasher, some time prior to the Revolution. He was a member of the State militia from the age of 18 until 45, and a soldier in the war of 1812, under Capt. John I. Cook, Major Frederick Getman and Col. Geo. Nellis. He was sent with his regiment to Sackett's Harbor, where he remained nearly three months, doing military duty, and has for several years drawn a pension for services rendered 'at that time. Mr. Bauder still lives where he located 72 years ago, the house then standing on the place forming a part of the present abode. Although in his 93d year, he is able to walk about his farm, recollects distinctly the scenes and incidents of his early days, and relates intelligibly and with interest the stories told him by his ancestors.

Jacob Christman was undoubtedly the first of that name who became a resident of Palatine. He settled at an early date on the farm now owned and occupied by Hannibal Gray, Esq. He was born, probably in Germany in 1706. was married in 1718. and died at Stone Arabia, April 29th, 1789. Jacob, jr., his son, participated somewhat in the Revolution. He lived at that time where James Christman, his grand-son, now resides. Passing Mr. Gramps's sugar bush one evening on his way from Fort Paris to his house, he discovered several tory scouts bivouacked there, and, without being observed by them, returned to the fort with the information. A detachment was immediately sent out, which soon returned with thetories as prisoners. It is said that while at the fort they were tortured to some extent, for the purpose of making them confess to their being tories, and the nature of their visit in this vicinity, but to no purpose.

George Spraker, a native of Prussia, located in 1755 at what is now Spraker's Station, on the farm now owned and occupied by his grand-son, Joseph Spraker, whose house is the building so long famous among early travelers as the Spraker tavern. He and his four sons participated in the Revolutionary struggle. His eldest two sons, John and George, were with Col. Brown at the battle of Stone Arabia.

John Eisenlord emigrated from Germany on account of the cruelty of his step-father, about 1765, and became a resident of Palatine, afterward marrying a daughter or grand-daughter of Johannes Krembs now Gramps. He was a young man of considerable wealth, a fine scholar-understanding the English language perfectly-and an excellent penman. He early espoused the cause of freedom, and sacrificed his life at the battle of Oriskany, leaving two sons.

Adam Loux now Loucks) whose house, about three-fourths of a mile north of Stone Arabia, on the farm now occupied by J. Ervin Graft, was a meeting place of the Tryon county Committee of Safety, was born in Schoharie, N. Y. Dec. 15th, 1715 ; was married Oct. 16th, 1739, and died Feb. 14th, 1789. His son, Peter Loucks, was first lieutenant of the 3d company of the Palatine battalion, under Capt. Christopher W. Fox, at the battle of Oriskany.

John Scholl and wife, of Tillaborough, or Dillaborough, in Germany, emigrated to America in 1769, bringing with them three sons, Johan Jost, John and George, and leaving a daughter in the Fatherland. They settled at Fort Herkimer, about two miles from the village of Herkimer, in the county of the same name. The son Johan Jost married Catharine, only daughter of Heinrich Winkell, of Ephratah, in 1773, and settled on the estate of his wife, on the hill north of the village of Ephratah, and on what has lately been the Murray farm. John Scholl married and settled near Lowville, Lewis county, where his sons William and Conradt also settled. They spelled the family name as it is naw written-Shull-and their descendants have followed that orthography. About the year 1834 William Shull and his son Daniel moved to Stone Arabia. The latter, who was born in 1810, and married in 1831 and again in 1850, was killed by lightning in 1869. William Shull was a lieutenant in and afterward colonel of the loist militia regiment, receiving his appointment in April, 1818. His grandson, Mr. A. W. Shull (son of Daniel Shull), who was born in 1835, occupies the Shull homestead.

Mr. Shull has a bell hanging in a belfry on his wagon-house, which bears this inscription :

" Presented by Queen Anne to Sir William Johnson, Baronet, 1774." This bell weighs over 100 pounds, and was used by Sir William, and after his death by his son, Sir John, as a dinner bell. Upon the confiscation of the property of Sir John, the bell was purchased by several male members of the Caughnawaga church and placed upon that building. Here it continued to perform its sacred mission tor over fifty years, when, the entire church property having been purchased by Rev. Douw Van O'Linda, it was sold by him to Daniel L. Shull, who restored it to its original use, that of a dinner bell. In 1862 Mr. Shull, for some reason, had it re-cast, prior to which it bore the following inscription: " SR William Johnson, Baronet, 1774. Made by Miller and Ross in Eliz. Town."

MEMBERS OF THE TRYON COUNTY COMMITTEE

Hon. Isaac Paris resided about a mile west of Stone Arabia. His house was burned by the tories, Oct. 19th, 1780. The place is now a part of John Gramps's farm. Mr. Paris was a zealous patriot; he acted as colonel under General Herkimer at the battle of Oriskany, where he was taken prisoner and afterwards murdered. The following is an extract from an affidavit made by Moses Younglove, surgeon of General Herkimer's brigade of militia, who was taken prisoner with Colonel Paris. " Isaac Paris, Esq., was also taken the same road without receiving from them [the Indians] any remarkable insult, except stripping, until some tories came up, who kicked and clubbed him, after which the savages, thinking him a notable offender, murdered him barbarously.''

Andrew Fink, a member of the committee first appointed, was a son or grandson of Andreas Fink, previously mentioned, and resided on the same place, where he was born Feb. l0th, 1751. He entered the service of his country early in the campaign of 1775, as first lieutenant of the company commanded by Capt. Christopher P. Yates, which belonged to the 2nd N. Y. Regiment, under Colonel Goove Van Schaick. On the 16th of Feb., 1776, he was promoted to a captaincy in the same regiment, at which time it was styled the 1st Regiment in the New York line. In this capacity he served until 1781, when he was promoted to the rank of major and served under Colonel Marinus Willett on the frontiers of the Mohawk valley and elsewhere. He was at the taking of St. John's, Fort Chambly and Montreal. In the campaign of 1778, he was with the army under the immediate command of General Washington, and was in the battle of Monmouth, N. J., June 28th, 1778 ; also at the battle of Johnstown, Aug. 22d, 1781. He received his discharge at Schenectady, at the close of the war, and subsequently removed to Manheim, Herkimer county, where he was living in 1818.

FORTS PARIS AND KEYSER.

The Stone Arabia engagement, described in Chap. XIII of Montgomery county, took place between Fort Keyser and the river, principally on the farm at present occupied byJosephus Nellis, formerly known as the Shults farm. Fort Keyser might easily have fallen into the hands of the enemy had they made an attack after the battle, as there were but six or seven men, under charge of Captain John Zielley, left to protect it, among whom were George Spraker and his youngest two sons, Conrad and Jost. After the enemy had left, the two young Sprakers, with a couple of other young men, repaired to the spot where Colonel Brown had fallen. His scalp had been taken off so as completely to remove all the hair on his head, and he had been stripped of all his clothing except his ruffled shirt. These four voung militiamen bore his body in their arms to Fort Keyser, He was afterward properly buried in a cemetery near the Stone Arabia churches, where his ashes still repose.

Col. Brown was born in Sandersfield, Berkshire county, Mass., October 19th, 1744. He graduated at Yale College in 1771, and studied law with Oliver Arnold (a cousin of the traitor) at Providence, R. I. He commenced practice at Caughnawaga, N. Y., and was appointed King's Attorney. He soon went to Pittsfield, Mass., where he became active in the patriot cause. He was appointed by the State Committee of Correspondence, in 1775 to go to Canada to excite rebellion, in which perilous duty he had many adventures. He was elected to Congress in 1775, but before the meeting of that body he had joined the expedition under Alien and Arnold against Ticonderoga. He assisted in the capture of Fort Chambly in the autumn of that year, and planned the attack on Montreal, which resulted so disastrously to Col. Ethan Alien. He was at the storming of Quebec, at the close of the year. The following year, Congress gave him the commission of a lieutenant-colonel. In 1777, he conducted the expedition that attacked Ticonderoga, and other posts in that vicinity, released one hundred American prisoners at Lake George, and captured quite a large quantity of provisions and stores belonging to the enemy. Soon after this he retired from the service on account of his detestation of Arnold. Three years before the latter became a traitor, Brown published a hand-bill in which he denounced him as an avaricious and unprincipled man, charged him with " selling many a life for gain," and predicted that he would prove a traitor, in the memorable words with which the handbill closed: " Money is this man's god, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country." This was published at Albany in the winter of 1776-7, while Arnold was quartered there. Arnold was greatly excited when told of it, called Brown a scoundrel, and declared that he would kick him whensoever and wheresoever they might meet. This declaration was communicated to Brown. The next day, he, by invitation, went to a dinner where he would meet Arnold. The latter was standing with his back to the fire when Brown entered the door, and they thus met each other face to face. Brown walked boldly up to Arnold, and, looking him sternly in the face, said: "I understand, sir, that you have said you would kick me; I now present myself to give you an opportunity to put your threat into execution." Arnold made no reply. Brown then said: "Sir, you are a dirty scoundrel." Arnold was silent, and Brown left the room, after apologizing to the gentlemen present for his intrusion.

Dr. George Vache, was, without doubt, the first physician to settle in Palatine. He located on what is now the turnpike, sometime prior to the Revolution. The farm he occupied is now a part of the estate of the late John Y. Edwards. During the Revolution he was in the army. On one occasion he was pursued by the Indians, and with his horse swam the Mohawk three times in one night, each time being warned by a little dog, which closely followed him. About 1800, he went south on business, where he died of consumption, leaving an only son, who died young.

The first post office in the town was established at Palatine Church, about the year 1813. The oldest living inhabitants relate that it was customary in 1812, when a person wished to send a letter to a friend in the army at Sackett's Harbor, to leave it at any hotel on the turnpike, when the landlord would hand it to any teamster going that way, who would carry it as far as he went on the road, and then pass it to another of his craft, and in this way it would eventually reach its destination.

Until after the close of the Revolutionary war, the German was the prevailing language, and probably without an exception the schools prior to that date were taught in the German tongue. Soon after the restoration of peace, people from New England began to settle here, followed immediately by the innovation of the " Yankee schoolmaster." Among the early teachers of English schools in the town were John Martin and gentlemen named Crookenburg and Mackey. The former taught in the vicinity of Oswegatchie, about 1795. A building was subsequently erected for his accommodation, on the farm now owned by Jerome Van Wie. It was finished with dwelling apartments in one end, and a school room in the other. He was succeeded by his son in the early part of the present century. Mr. Mackey kept a school as early as 1795 at or near Stone Arabia, in a building which stood on the farm of Jacob Snell. Crookenburg taught near Palatine Church.

The first school commissioners and inspectors of schools were elected, in accordance with a new act of the Legislature, in April, 1813. They were Abraham Sternbergh, Henry J. Frey and John Quilhart, commissioners; and John J. Nellis, John I. Cook, Richard Young, Jost A. Snell and Harmanus N. Van Slyck, inspectors. The town was first divided into school districts-eleven in number-Dec. 7th, 1814, by David T. Zielley, Andrew Gray, and Chauncey Hutchinson, school commissioners. In the spring of 1815, a re-division was made, creating in all seventeen districts. It will be remembered that at that time Palatine embraced the present town of Ephratah. There are now twelve well apportioned districts-a few of which are fractional-and eleven school-houses within its limits.

THE UNION ACADEMY OF PALATINE.

A union academy, the first within the present boundaries of Montgomery county, was established at Stone Arabia, and incorporated by the Regents of the University, March 31st, 1795, as "The Union Academy of Palatine." The only records obtainable relating to this institution, are in connection with those of the Reformed church of that place. At a meeting of the consistory, held January 24, 1795, composed of Rev. D. Christian Pick, pastor ; Henry Loucks and Christian Fink, elders, and John Snell and Dietrich Coppernoll, deacons, it was " resolved that the five acres of church land of the Reformed Dutch Church of Stone Arabia, which are not given to the present minister as a part of his salary, shall be given and presented to the use and benefit of the Union Academy to be erected at Stone Arabia " On the 14th of November, 1791 , the board of trustees, through their president, Charles Newkirk, asked and obtained permission from the consistory of the Reformed church to occupy their school-house, which appears to have been a part of the parsonage which had been used for school purposes, for one year, for the use of the academy.

This is the oldest Reformed Church organization west of Schenectady, north of the Mohawk. A religious society of this denomination was formed by the Rev. John Jacob Ehle, as early as 1711. Ehle was the Reformed minister for this section of the country, and his services were conducted in the German language. A log church was built about this date, on the lot now occupied by the Lutherans. The records of baptisms and marriages were kept at the Schoharie church, of which Ehle was pastor, and where he resided. The oldest record in the possession of this church is a contract for a deed to a lot of 52 acres, on which both the Lutheran and Reformed churches now stand. The following is a copy:

" Memorandum of agreement between William Coppernoll and Andreas Feink, Heinrich Frey, Hans Dietrich Casselman, John Jerry Miller and all the rest of the Company of this land, Noted: the said William Coppernoll hath sold to the above said Andreas Feink, Heinrich Frey and all the rest of the aforesaid Company, a certain lot of land numbered in our patent number twenty, for a church and other uses for the same and for no others, and the said William Coppernoll is therefore paid and satisfied. And the said William Coppernoll binds himself, his heirs and assigns, in the sum of 100 pounds, good and lawful money of New York, to give a good lawful Transport for the above said lot of land before the 9th day of April, 1831, as witness my hand and seal this and day of June, 1729.

For a time both the Lutheran and Reformed congregations worshiped in the log church. In 1733 these societies in union commenced the erection of a frame church, where the present Reformed church stands. After the foundation was completed, a disagreement arose in regard to the name by which the edifice should be called, which resulted in the withdrawal of the Lutherans, who continued to hold the log church. The Reformed society proceeded with the building. Johannes Schnell and Johannes Krembs were chosen directors of the work. Bonds to the amount of £400 were given by the church and required of Schnell and Krembs. They were to be allowed two shillings and sixpence per day and expenses, for the actual time employed. They were sent to Albany to solicit funds, but with what success does not appear. The articles of agreement on the part of the church were signed by Andreas Fink, John Jost Schnell, John Jerry Miller, Dietrich Loucks, Sufferness Diegert, Henry Loucks and William Coppernoll. There are no data as to the size or cost of the edifice, but it was nearly five years before it was completed. This society early became an independent Reformed church, but no record shows at what date a regular church organization was effected. It must, however, have been in 1743 or earlier, judging from the following inscription, written in German, on the first page of the earliest record book now in possession of the church: "Church Book of the German Reformed Church of Stone Rabie, under the rule of Rev. Johannes Schuyler, Preacher of Schoharie and Stone Rabie, and Consistory by Diedrich Loux and John Joost Schnell, Elders, and Severnus Duikert and Adam Loux, Deacons. "Oct. 24th, 1743."

The first list of members uniting with the church is dated in 1739, when ten were admitted. The first recorded baptism is that of Henry Richard, son of Adam Loux, in 1745.

The church lot of fifty-two acres was equally divided between the Lutheran and Reformed churches, each quit-claiming to the other, March 27th, 1744. In this transaction the following persons represent the Reformed church, and signed their names to the deed given to the Lutherans : "Jost Schell, Sevennes Deigert, Peter Suits, William Brower, Johannes Krems, Dieck Loux, Hendrick Loux, Hanis Schnell, William Koppernall, Andreas Finck, Nicholas Horning and Peter Deigert."

John Jacob Ehle, as noted above, was the first to minister to this congregation. The first to follow him was Rev. Johannes Schuyler, who became pastor of the church as early as October, 1743, and continued until Jan. 3d, 1751, when the records show baptisms by Rev. Armilo Wernig, as minister. The latter must have left as early as 1758, for receipts for salary show that Rev. Abraham Rosenkrant/. was pastor from 1759 to 1769.

Mr. Rosenkrantz at first preached at Schoharie only in connection with this church, but afterward had charge also of the churches at Canajoharie, St. Johnsville and German Flats. His salary here was 70 pounds annually, paid promptly, as his receipts show, and from all the churches his salary must have been considerable for the time. He came to this country from Germany when a young man, and married a sister of Gen. Herkimer. He latterly settled at German Flats, now Herkimer, where he died in 1794, and was buried under the Reformed church of that place.

From 1769 to 1787 this church was undoubtedly without a pastor, as there is no record or information to the contrary, although the baptismal and marriage records were continued regularly through this period. It was supplied occasionally by the Rev. John Daniel Gross, and very probably by the Rev. Mr. Rosenkrantz also, as the baptisms and marriages are by him.

On Jan. 20th, 1790, this church united with the Classis of Albany, and on the 23d of May, 1791, it was incorporated as "The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Stone Arabia," with " Rev. D. C. A. Peck as minister of the Reformed Protestant Dutch congregations of Stone Arabia and Canajoharie." John Zielley, Jacob Eacker, Arnout Vedder and Johannes Koch were chosen elders ; and Frederick Getman, Adam Loucks, Casper Cook and Michael Khie, deacons. Rev. Mr. Peck preached in the German language only, but kept the records in English from Jan. 17th, 1789. He remained as pastor until 1797, when he was called to German Flats, whence he removed to New York city, where he dropped dead in the street in 1802.

In 1799, the parsonage, adjoining the church, was built. In November 1800, Rev. Isaac Labaugh, of Kinderhook, accepted the pastorate of the church in connection with that of the Canajoharie church. The consistorial minutes show that, at Stone Arabia, he was to preach in three different languages, as follows: "He shall preach two sermons in the German language, then one in English, then two again in German, then one in Low Dutch." In 1803, this order was changed so as to have two sermons in English to one in Low Dutch, Mr. Labaugh resigned in November, 1803, and was followed in 1804 by the Rev. John Jacob Wack, who also; ministered to the church at Canajoharie. His salary was $200 from each church, $1 for each funeral and marriage, and fifty cents for every infant baptism. He preached in both German and English, remaining until 1828. His successor, Rev. Isaac Ketcham, came in 1830, and confined his labors to this church. His pastorate continued till 1836, when he resigned and went to Michigan. Rev. B. B. Westfall was called and settled as pastor in 1838. Under his ministrations the congregation was blessed with a copious revival, over forty persons uniting with the church, on confession, at one time. The church building was also repaired and a new bell procured for it, the whole costing $2,000. Rev. Mr. Westfall died here, April 6th, 1844, aged 46 years, and was buried under the church A tablet to his memory is placed in the wall over the pulpit. Soon after his death, he was succeeded by Rev. Charles Jukes, of Glen, who remained until 1850, when he was followed by Rev. John C. Van Liew. Rev. Messrs. Ketcham, Westfall (for a time), Jukes and Van Liew, while here, also supplied the church at Ephratah, an off-shoot of this church.

Rev. Mr. Van Liew resigned his pastorate in 1856, after which, for four years, the church was without a pastor, but was supplied by Rev. Nanning Bogardis in 1857, and by Revs. Philip Furbeck and G. M. Blodgett in 1859. The parsonage was also rebuilt in 1859, at a cost of $1,400. Rev. L. H. Van Dyke, from the church at Blooming Grove, Rensselaer county, N. Y., accepted the pastorate of this church in 1860, and remained until 1867. He was followed in May, 1868, by the Rev. J. M. Compton, who at the end of two years resigned, to.take charge of the church at Columbus and Henderson. The present pastor, Rev. W. B. Van Benschoten, a graduate of Rutger's College, commenced his labors with the united churches of Stone Arabia and Ephratah May 1st, 1872, and continues to minister to both congregations. This was once the only Reformed Church in a space of territory where eight of that denomination now exist. The present number of communicants is 76. Present consistory: Rev. W. B. Van Benschoten, pastor; Conrad P. Snell, Henry Gramps, John Kitts and Reuben Graft, elders; and Harrison Brown, Erwin Vosburg, C. K. Loucks and Aurora Failing, deacons.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF STONE ARABIA.

The early history of this church is to some extent identified with that of the Reformed church. Upon the equal division of the 52 acres of land deeded by Wm. Coppernoll to the proprietors of the Stone Arabia patent for church purposes, between the two societies, the trustees of the Reformed church gave a quit-claim deed to the representatives of the Lutheran church, naming them in the deed. They were Martinus Dillenbagh, Johannes Keyser, Johannes Schults, Lutwick Cassleman, Nicholas Stenfel, Andreas Bessiner, Johannes Lawyer, Adam Empie, Johannes Empie, Jacob Schults, Christopher Schults, and Wm. Nellis. Only four of them were living on Dec. 29th, 1770-Johannes Empie, William Nellis, and Jacob and Christopher Schults-who on that day re-deeded this land to Christian Dillenbeck and Johannes Schults in trust. The original deed is lost, and probably was at the time the last one was executed. In the latter deed this clause appears, showing the existence of a Lutheran church building at that date : " And whereas there now stands erected on the land a church or meeting place to worship God according to the usage of the Lutheran church." Whether this was the original log church built 50 years previous, or a new one had been erected, does not appear. Whichever it may be, it was destroyed by fire, with the rest of the hamlet, Oct. 19th, 1780.

The first Lutheran minister who preached here was Rev. William Christian Buckmeyer, then stationed at Loonenhurg, on the Hudson, but at what time is not definitely known ; neither is there any record showing the date of a church organization or early officers. The first regular pastor at Schoharie, and who also supplied this church at stated periods, was Rev. Peter Nicholas Sommer, a native of Hamburgh, Germany. He received his call Sept. 7th, 1742, and on the 21st of the same month, was ordained at Hamburgh as pastor of the Lutheran church at Schoharie, where he arrived May 25th, 1743, and on the 36th preached his first sermon in America. This church was included in his pastoral charge until December, 1751, when the Rev. Frederick Reis, from Germantown, became the minister. How long he remained is not known, but in 1763 Rev. Theophilus England took charge of the congregation, and continued as pastor until 1773, when he died. Sir William Johnson, in a characteristic letter, dated April 4, 1771, to the Rev. Dr. Auchmutty, writes as follows : " I desired our friend Mr. Inglis to mention a Circumstance concerning Religion here that I think you ought to know. The Lutheran minister at Stoneraby has lately in a voluntary Manner without any previous Arguments to induce him thereto desired to take orders in the Church of England, and what is much more Strange, It is the desire of his Congregation that he should do so. The great difficulty is That, they will be without a Minister during his absence, and that it will be attended with an expence which from their great Occonomy, they do not chuse to Incurr, Especially as they have some Charitable Establishments amongst themselves, that are Chargeable. If * * * it Could be Carried through without making much noise, It would add the Majority of Inhabitants of a very fine Settlement to the Church, and as they are Foreigners must strengthen their allegiance to Gov't." Dr. Auchmutty replied from New York, favorably to the change of denomination, but whether from the " ereat Occonomy " of the church forbidding them to send their minister to England for ordination, or for some other reason, nothing seems to have come of the proposal.

It would seem that soon after the death of Mr. England, the Rev. Frederick Reis was recalled, who, after a pastorate of four or five years, again resigned and returned to Germantown. He was succeeded in 1780 by the Rev. Philip Jacob Grotz, who continued his labors here until his death, which occurred suddenly on the 1st of Dec., 1809, he having reached the age of 62. His remains lie buried in the cemetery near the church. Duing his ministry, in 1792, the present church edifice was erected. He was followed in 1811 by Rev. Peter Wilhelm Domier, from Germany, who remained until 1826, when he returned to his native country.

Up to this time the services had been conducted and all records kept in German. The first minister to preach in the English language was Rev. John D. Lawyer, who commenced his labors in 1827, and delivered his farewell discourse April 1i8th, 1830. In July following, he was succeeded by Rev. Charles A. Smith, who continued in charge until 1838, when he was followed by the Rev. Henry I. Smith, who resigned at the end of one year. He is now Professor of German in . Columbia College, New York city. Rev. Martin J. Stover became the next pastor, Jan. 1st, 1840, remaining four years. He was succeeded in 1845 by the Rev. Adolphus Rumpff, who continued until 1854, when he was followed, in the beginning of 1855, by the Rev. S. Curtis, who remained about three years. In 1858 Rev. A. Rumpff was recalled, and continued in charge until Oct. 22d, 1865. He was followed Nov. 1st, 1865, by the Rev. Nicholas Wert, whose pastorate here continued nearly 12 years, closing in October, 1877. The present incumbent, Rev. W. W. Gulick, commenced his labors here about the first of November, 1877. He also holds services at stated periods in the Palatine Church. The present officers of this church are, Henry Lasher, Henry Saltsman and Peter Coolman, elders ; Lysander Dillenbeck, Isaiah Sitterly and David S. Patten, deacons ; Jerry Saltsman, Geo. H. Dillenbeck and Azariah Saltsman, trustees.

The " Palatine Evangelical Lutheran Church " edifice is the oldest church building now standing within the limits of Montgomery and Fulton counties. It was built, of stone, in 1770 by the generous donations of a few individuals. Peter Wagner and Andrew Reber contributed . 100 pounds each ; Johannes Hess and six Nellises, namely, William, jr., Andrew, Johannes, Henry, Christian and David, each gave 60 pounds toward its construction ; while the building of the spire, which seems to have been an after consideration, was paid for by the Nellis family exclusively. This church, unlike most others in the valley, was not destroyed by the British or their allies during the Revolution, for the reason, it is supposed, of the loyalist proclivities of one or more of the Nellises. It remained as originally built for a century, when it was remodeled and repaired at a cost of nearly $4,000, and in the fall of 1870, on its one hundredth anniversary, a grand celebration and fair was held, at which Governor Seymour delivered an appropriate address.

This is often spoken of as "the German church," but its corporate title is " Salem's church of the Evangelical Association of North America of the Town of Palatine." As such it was incorporated Feb. 12, 1877, with three trustees, one of whom is elected each year. The Evangelical Association (also called the Albrights, from Rev. Jacob Albright, or Albrecht, who founded the sect in 1800,) resembles the Methodist Episcopal church in doctrine and government. It has sixteen annual conferences about five hundred ministers and 73,000 members. Salem's Church belongs to the New York conference, Albany district and Bleecker circuit The first services of the denomination at this point were held in 1835 by Rev. Messrs. Lane, Fisher and Rothschild, at a school-house near the present church edifice. This soon proving too small, the ball-room of Andreas Dillenbeck's hotel was used until 1839, when a union church was erected by the assistance of several German families who moved into the neighborhood about this time. The present church was built in 1871, at a cost of about $1,000, and stands a few rods from the site of the original structure. Rev. George H. Gelser has been the pastor for three years. Services are held on alternate Sabbaths. They have generally been in the German language, but as the old members are passing away, that tongue is giving place to the English. The membership of this church is 61. A flourishing Sabbath-school, with 75 scholars, is connected with it, of which Henry Hin, jr., is superintendent.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JOHN A. FAILING was born September 18, 1800, a mile west of the village of St. Johnsville. His father, J. H. Failing, removed with his family to the western border of the village, where he kept a hotel, in which our subject assisted him. The latter in 1814 had entire charge of the house and the farm for two months, while his father was with the garrison at Sackett's Harbor. The house, and even the barns, were at the time filled with soldiers, marines, ship carpenters and teamsters every night.

This was the tavern pleasantly remembered by Thurlow Weed. At nineteen young Failing entered the militia, and held successively the offices of corporal, sergeant, ensign, lieutenant and captain, being chosen to the latter post in 1825. He married Nancy Shults March 23, 1823. They have had three daughters and nine sons, of whom one daughter and five sons have died. Four years after his marriage, Mr. Failing moved to a farm of 96 acres, which his father had bought in the town of Palatine.

The barn had to be turned partly round to get it out of the highway, and the job required about eighty men an entire afternoon, with the addition of two baskets of rusks and half a barrel of whisky. Additional buildings were put up in 1828, including a cider mill, whose first season's product of fifty barrels was sold for a dollar a barrel. The wheat crops were generally large, and marketed at Troy. Latterly the farm has been chiefly devoted to dairying. Mr. Failing's estate has been enlarged by the purchase at various dates of 320 acres, and a brick house was built on it in 1837. Mr. Failing bought his present residence at Palatine Bridge in 1870. He has served one term as supervisor of the town.

HON. WEBSTER WAGNER.

Among the prominent self-made men of the Mohawk valley in active life to-day, is Webster Wagner. He is of German extraction, and descends from one of the pioneer families that located in Palatine early in the last century. He was born at Palatine Bridge, Oct. 2, 1817. His father's name, as also his grandfather's, was John, and his great-grandfather was I.ieut.-Col. Peter Wagner, of " border warfare " memory, who was an active partisan officer in the Revolution, and as a man of means exerted no little influence in Tryon county; besides, he had four grown-up sons, all whigs cf the times, ever ready on an emergency to discharge any perilous duty. His dwelling, a stone edifice, was fortified in the war, and known among the stockades as Fort Wagner. (The head of a Palatine family, which wintered, with other German immigrants, on the west side of the Hudson in 1710, was Peter Wagner, possibly the first man of the name who located in the Mohawk valley about a dozen years later. When the Yankee schoolmisters first began their labors in the German settlements, they anglicised this name by writing it Waggoner-an orthography which prevailed a couple of generations before it was finally corrected.) This house, with a wooden addition, situated on the Mohawk turnpike, two miles westerly of Fort Plain, is now owned and occupied by the dairyman J. Harvey Smith. The mother of Senator Wagner was Elizabeth Strayer, also a descendant of an early German family.

In 1860 his duties as freight agent ceased, but for several years before that he had, on his own account, successfully engaged in the handling of grain and other farm products. While in the latter business, which gave more scope to his active brain, he conceived the idea of building sleepingcars ; and associating with him in the enterprise Messrs. George B. Gates and T. N. Parmalee, of Buffalo, and Morgan Gardner, of Utica, he constructed four cars, at a cost of $3,200 each. Berths were provided for the sleepers, provided with a pair of cheap blankets and pillows. These cars commenced running on the New York Central, Sept.1, 1858, at which time the Hon. Erastus Corning was president of the road. He looked with favor upon the enterprise. The project at the outset did not prove as successful as was anticipated. The difficulty seemed to be in the want of a better ventilation of the cars, which the inventor's genius was at once taxed to remedy. The ventilators being opposite to the sleepers, it was dangerous to leave them open at night, while the air was suffocating with them closed. In 1859 Mr. Wagner invented the elevated car-roof, placing his ventilators in the elevation, which at once gave success to the new adventure. Ventilating the car near the roof was found so useful an improvement that it was at once adopted, not only in the sleeping-car, but in all new passenger-cars, to the increased comfort of the traveling world.

The sleeping-car had not been long in use when the civil war came on, during which time the cost of these cars was from $18,000 to $24,000 each. They were constructed, however, not only with reference to strength and beauty, but for the comfort of their occupants, being furnished with mattresses and all necessary bedding for an undress, contrasting most favorably with the first ones in motion. That style of car now costs from $13,000 to $14,000. In 1867, Mr. Wagner invented and put in operation his first drawing-room or palace car, the first ever seen in America, which at once became so popular with the tourist that it secured to him a fortune, and home-comfort to its thousands of generous patrons. Wagner cars are now in use on most of the important railroads in this country, and they have recently been introduced by Mr. Pullman on some of the best regulated roads of Europe, entitling the inventor to the gratitude of the millions who have already experienced their comfort, while his future memory will be embalmed in the hearts of the traveling world as a benefactor of his race.

In 1871 Mr. Wagner was called to a new field of labor, being chosen to a seat in the State Assembly, to which he was sent by a majority of about 200 in the county. In 1872 he was elected to represent the XVth district in the Senate, by a majority over his competitor, Mr. Isaiah Fuller, of 3,222. At the end of two years, he was returned to that obddy without opposition. In 1876 he was again sent back to the Senate, by a majority of 2,623 over Mr, Samuel T. Benedict, of Schenectady. In Nov., 1877, Mr. Wagner was the fourth time put in nomination for a seat in the Senate ; and so great was his personal popularity, that although the Hon. Geo. G. Scott, of Ballston, a man of sterling integrity and known ability, was the opposing candidate, he was again re-elected, by 2,216 majority, for the years 1878 and 1879.

In politics Mr. Wagner is known as a Republican. His long term of service has rendered him familiar with legislative business, given hire heretofore a prominent place on many of the most important committees and caused his opinion on many interesting subjects to be sought for by young and less experienced members. He has recently passed his sixtieth birthday with good health and mature judgment ; and by carefully heeding nature's inflexible laws, he may yet render the public important service in some untried capacity. He is a man of ample means ; honest and. upright in all his dealings ; courteous and affable in his manners ; generous and hospitable in his nature ; social and genial in his habits, and kind hearted and exemplary in his family relations. He owns not only a pretty mansion with highly cultivated lands around it at Palatine Bridge, but also a very nice house in New York city, in which his family spend their winters. Mrs. Wagner was Miss Susan Davis, a lady as amiable and sensible as she is unassuming and domestic. She was a daughter of the late John P. Davis, a master-mechanic-a house-carpenter by trade-a very worthy citizen of Canajoharie at an early period of its village history. The remainder of this family consists of five children, a son and four daughters, all of whom are married, except Miss Nettie, the youngest. If Senator Wagner was unsuccessful at the outset of his business career, energy and perseverance enabled him to triumph in the end, in gaining both wealth and worldly honors ; and take him all in all we may pronounce him one of nature's noblemen.

Mr. Davis is a native of Canajoharie, where he was born Oct. 25th, 1824. His father was John P. Davis, a native of New Jersey, but who moved to Canajoharie early in life and carried on the business of carpenter and builder, on an extensive scale, for a long time. William, the subject of this sketch, also learned the same trade, with his father, which he pursued until the age of nineteen. In the spring of the year 1844, he went to Troy and became a clerk in the grocery and wine store of H. & W. J. Averell, where he remained one year. In the spring of 1845 he moved to Rochester and became clerk for Brackett, Averell & Co., of that city, a branch of the Troy firm. At the end of five years' clerkship, he was admitted as a junior partner. At the death of Horatio Averell, in August, 1854. the house at Rochester was closed, and Messrs. Brackett & Davis, in connection with J. 0. Howard, commenced the same business in New York, under the firm name of James Brackett & Co.

In the year 1858, Stillman A. Clark and Josiah B. Wright were admitted as partners in the house, and the business was continued by this firm until January, 1868, when Messrs. Davis, Clark and Howard purchased the interest of Brackett and Wright, and continued business under the firm name of Davis, Clark & Co., until January, 1872, when Davis and dark purchased the interest of Howard and admitted to the concern John P. Davis, brother of W. H. Davis, and Henry 0. Clark, nephew of S. A. Clark, who are at this date doing a successful business under the latter firm name.

On January 5th, 1853, Mr. Davis was married to Anna Catharine Geortner, (daughter of George Geortner, of Canajoharie,) who died in the year 1869. Two daughters, Olive Stafford, and Edith Alliene, remain as the fruit of this marriage. The eldest daughter, Olive, was married to Charles H. Whitaker, of Toledo, Ohio, in 1873. Although the place of business of Mr. Davis is in New York, he retains his residence at Palatine Bridge, where he, sometime since, erected a handsome dwelling, which, with the grounds connected, has been named " Rose Terrace."

Mr. Davis has, for a long time, been a director of the Canajoharie Bank, and for the past twelve years vice-president of that institution. A few years since the political party to which Mr. Davis belongs complimented him by nominating him for member of Assembly during his absence from home, but, although strongly urged to accept by his friends, he was forced to decline on account of his business engagements. At the Centennial celebration at Canajoharie, July 4th, 1876, Mr. Davis was selected by the committee as the presiding officer of the day, the duties of which position he discharged with dignity. In private life Mr. Davis is a social, genial gentleman of the old school, strictly honorable in his dealings with all; liberal in charitable and benevolent enterprises, and possesses conversational powers of a high order.