Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

History of The OLD FORT HERKIMER CHURCH
German Flatts Reformed Church, 1723
By W. N. P. Dailey, D. D.
Published by the
St. Johnsville Enterprise and News
Lou D. MacWethy, editor
St. Johnsville, NY (Price 35 cents)

Thanks to Betty Hoagey for sending this for the web site!

Organized in 1723. Land given 1730 and 1773. Present edifice begun about 1730. A story of the Palatine people and their early struggles. Many names of first settlers. By Rev. W. N. P. Dailey, DD. Author of History of the Montgomery Classis, R.C.A.

Description of Church Land

Nicholas Woolever "in consideration of the sum of fifteen Pounds Currant Money of the Province of New York" conveys to the eleven grantees "all That Certain Toft of Lot of Ground Beginning at a Certain Marked Pole standing in the Division Line of him the said Nicholas Woolever and Rololph Coring near the South End of the Swing Gate which stands near the Mill of ffrederick Pellinger and runs from thence South Twenty four Degrees West Three Chains and Twenty five Links Thence South Sixty Six Degrees East. Three Chains and Twenty five Links Thence North Twenty four Degrees East Three Chains and Twenty five Links, Thence with a Straight Line the place where first began Containing nearly the One half of a Rynland Morgan or One English acre and Nine Rodd" to have and to hold forever "To the Intent and Purpose That the said Lot and Toft of Ground shall be for the Use of a School and a Church if at any Time hereafter The Partys above Mentioned shall be Inclined to Eredt a Church upon the Same near the School now thereon standing" said church to be built at the expense of the company. One twelfth of the lot reserved to Nicholas Woolever for the uses aforesaid, who warrants and defends the title. The deed is witnessed by Ed Collins and Tho. Martin, Grantor signs, "Nicholas Wohllaben." On the back of the first sheet is a receipt dated Sept. 24, 1730, for the purchase money fifteen pounds, signed by "Nicholas Wohllaben." The deed is indorsed "Indenture Between Nich. Woolver & ffrdk. Pellinger in Compy. The word "company" does not occur in the body of the deed, the names of the eleven grantees being repeated each time that it is necessary to repeat them. Undoubtedly the Palatines of the south side used the school house mentioned in this deed as their first place of worship, thus putting the beginning of the of the church back to the original settlement in 1723.

The original deed, dated Sept. 24, 1730, granted to Nicholas Woolever and eleven others, an acre and more of land for church and school purposes. This deed is a conveyance of this same land by the "company" to the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the German Flatts. Some words of the deeds are illegible thru deterioration of the paper by age.