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

THE TOWN OF ST. JOHNSVILLE.

St. Johnsville was formed as a town at the division of Montgomery county, on April 18th, 1838. Previous to that time it formed a part of Oppenheim, Fulton county, which joins it on the north. Its organization was completed at a special town meeting held at the house of Christopher Klock, about one mile east of the village of St. Johnsville, on the 1st day of May, 1838, at which its first officers were elected, " to fill the vacancies occasioned by the division of the county," as follows : Town clerk, Barney Becker ; justices of the peace, Peter Klock, Daniel Ayers, Josiah Lomis ; collector, Daniel C. Fox ; assessors, Peter Radley and Simeon Klock ; commissioners of highways, Joseph W. Nellis and John F. Bellinger. The number of votes polled was 271. The first regular town meeting was held at the same place on the 5th day of March, 1839, at which a complete list of officers were elected, as follows: Supervisor, John W. Riggs ; town clerk Jesse R. Curran ; justice, George Lake ; collector, Daniel Failing ; assessors, George Chaugo, Peter Radley, Simeon Klock ; commissioners of highways, Jacob H. Flander, Jonas Klock and Benjamin Groff; commissioners of common schools, Andrew R. Groot, Chauncey Nellis and Martin Walrath ; overseers of the poor, John G. Klock and Joseph I. Klock ; school inspectors, John G. Edwards, John Wilson and Joseph Hawes ; constables, James Best, Christian Flander, Hiram Jennings, John P. Staring.

St. Johnsville is situated in the northwest corner of Montgomery county, on the north bank of the Mohawk. East Canada creek flows along its western border. The Crum, Klock, Zimmerman, Caldwell and Mother creeks all flow in a southerly direction across the town, and are absorbed by the Mohawk. Upon East Canada creek there is a succession of falls and rapids, descending seventy-five feet in as many rods. The surface of the town consists a broken upland, descending gradually to the south, and terminating in the broad river flats. The soil is a fine quality of gravelly loam, well adapted to grazing and farming, and very productive along the river. Three distinct mineral veins have been discovered near East Canada creek, in the western part of the town, known as the lower, middle and upper mines. The lower vein consists principally of lead, with a very small sprinkling of gold ; the middle vein is a mixture of copper, lead and zinc ; and the upper vein is mostly copper.

The first settlement of this town probably begun as early as 1725, though the precise date is not known. Until 1808 it belonged to Palatine. The early settlers were Germans, from whom many of the present inhabitants have descended. Among them were families named Hellebradt, Waters, Getman, Van Riepen, Walrath and Klock. The first settlement at the village of St. Johnsville was made in 1776, by Jacob Zimmerman, who built the first grist-mill in the town soon after. George Klock built another in 1801. As early as 1756 a church was erected in the eastern part of the town, by Christian Klock. The Rev. Mr. Rosenkrantz was the first preacher, and John Henry Disland the second. A German school was taught by Henry Hayes at an early day. Lot Ryan, an Irishman, taught the first English school in 1792. Christopher Nellis kept a tavern in 1783, and a store in 1801.

THE PEOPLE OF '76.

During the Revolution the house of Christian Klock, which stood in the eastern part of the town, was stockaded, and named " Fort House," in honor of Christian House, the builder. The house of Jacob Zimmerman was also stockaded. Both of these forts repulsed repeated attacks of the enemy, and they were never surrendered. Fort Hill, which was situated on an eminence in the western port of the town, was erected during the French war. It was repaired and used during the Revolution.

This town was the scene of many incidents and events connected with the Revolution, and its inhabitants took their share of the hardship and suffering occasioned thereby. The battle between the forces of Sir John Johnson and the advance guard of Gen. Van Rensselaer's army, under Col. Dubois, was fought at " Klock's Field," near where Fort House stood, Oct. 18th, 1780.

A Mr. Crouse, grandfather of the present Peter Crouse, was for a time stationed at a house called Fort Klock. Looking one day at some British troops, who were passing within gunshot of the fort, he jestingly remarked, that he thought he could " hit one of those fellows on horseback ;" and suiting the action to the word, he drew up his gun and fired at one of the officers, who was seen to fall from his saddle. The horse came galloping up to the fort and surrendered itself to Mr. Crouse. Tied to the saddle was a bundle containing an old brass kettle, and other articles of camp life, which were kept for a long time by the family as relics of the Revolution, The horse was traded off for a lumber wagon, which lasted till within the recollection of the present generation.

Henry Smith participated in the battle of Oriskany. During the battle an Indian had concealed himself in an excavation in the ground, from which he had been picking off our soldiers, one by one, with his rifle. Mr. Smith at length discovered his hiding place, and watching an opportunity, shot him just as he was raising his piece to fire. Running to the spot, he drew the tomahawk from the belt of the savage and buried it in his head. He took the Indian's gun and powder horn, which trophies still remain in the possession of his grand-children.

The Bellinger girls were living, during the Revolution, with their father, Philip Bellinger, on the farm now occupied by Menzo Smith. Philip Helmer had been paying his addresses to one of these girls, but on account of his Tory tendencies the suit was not favored by the young lady's parents. In the spring of 1780, young Helmer deserted to the enemy, and at once formed a plot to kidnap the sisters. Organizing a small band of Indians for the purpose, he led them toward the house of the Bellingers ; but repenting of his plot, he managed, upon some pretence, to get in advance of his party, and going to fort Nellis, he informed the people there of the, design. A small company of volunteers was at once collected, an ambuscade formed, and Helmer's whole party would have been killed or captured, had it not been for the indiscretion of one of the volunteers, who upon their approach, yelled out at the ton of his voice " Lord God Almighty,! boys, here they are !" The Indians fled with the loss of one. It is said; that Helmer afterward married the girl.

Leonard Panter was captured by the Indians, when only eight years old, and taken to Canada. After a year's captivity he was exchanged and sent; with others to Schenectady. His father, hearing of the release of a number of boys, and ascertaining their destination, sent an older son on horseback in search of the lost one. On reaching Schenectady he found a number of boys drawn up in line, waiting to be claimed. The brothers failed to recognize each other, but Leonard seeing the old horse, knew it and was thus made known to his brother.

Col. Jacob Klock, an active and zealous patriot, at whose house the Palatine committee of safety met, June 16th, 1775, lived where his grand-daughter, Mrs. Jonas Snell, now resides, nearly a mile below the village of St. Johnsville. He was a member of the Tryon Co. Committee of Safety, and in September, 1775, was appointed colonel of the 2nd battalion of Tryon county militia, which position he held till the close of the war. Andrew Helmbold, while plowing near where Kast Creek depot now stands, was surprised by the Indians, and killed in a hand-to-hand fight. He is said to have dispatched two of the savages with a paddle which he carried on his plow, before he succumbed to tomahawks and knives. Capt. Christian House was an earnest and devoted patriot of the Revolution. He was living at that time near the west line of St. Johnsville. He converted his house into a fort, and stockaded it at his own expense. Capt, House served his country long and faithfully, neither asking for nor receiving any remuneration therefor. He died soon after the war, and his remains were deposited in an old burial place, which is still in existence, near the former site of Fort House, and where repose the ashes of many a gallant soldier of the Revolution.