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

THE TOWN OF MINDEN.

This town was organized from the westerly part of Canajoharie, March 2, 1798. Tradition says it was named Minden at the suggestion of some early settlers, who came from a place of the same name in Germany, The township, which is one of remarkable fertility, is about nine miles in length on the Mohawk, with an average breadth of eight miles southerly. The early permanent settlers were Germans, the first of whom came from Schoharie. They settled mainly in that part of the town called, from their nativity, Dutchtown, and across the river in Palatine ; the former community gradually extending, by accessions from Germany between the years 1723 and 1760, along the river the whole length of what in 1772 became known as the Canajoharie district, and which in 1788 became a township, bordering upon the river some twenty miles, its western border embracing the former home of Gen, Herkimer. Evidences of Indian occupancy are literally found all over this town, in the rude stone implements lost in war and the chase, but the sites of their wigwams can never be known except as the plow reveals the evidence of their existence.

THE FRENCH WAR PERIOD.

In this town since its settlement first begun, have been enacted interesting and tragic scenes sufficient, if chronicled, to fill a volume. Here, among others, transpired in what was called the old French war-which resulted in establishing English supremacy in the Canadas-the following cruel incident : Near the commencement of this war, which begun in 1755, John Markell, who had married Anna Timmerman, daughter of a pioneer settler of St. Johnsville, took up his residence in the westerly part of the town. Predatory incursions were often made during the war by small parties of Canadian Indians, and especially was this the case in 1757, in which year it is believed the tragedy occurred. Markell and his wife left home one day, she with an infant child in her arms. They had not proceeded far when suddenly they saw a hostile party of about a dozen warriors approaching in their path, and only a few rods distant. Markell at once divined that they were Canadian foes, knew their own escape was impossble, and said excitedly to his wife, who was walking directly behind him" Anna, unser zeit ist aus t " Anna our time is up ! These, his last words, were truly prophetic, for in the next instant one of the party leveled his gun, a bullet from which passed through Markell's body into that of his wife. They both fell to the ground, and she, the child falling from her arms, lay upon her face and feigned death. Markell was at once tomahawked and scalped, and as an Indian was about to secure his wife's scalp, she heard one of his comrades say what she construed to be-" Better knock her on the head ! " " No," was the reply, " squaw's dead now ! " He drew the knife around the crown, placed his knees against her shoulders, seized the scalp with his teeth, and quick as thought it was torn from her head. One of the party snatched up the crying infant, then only a few months old, and dashed out its brains against a tree. The enemy did not linger long nor strip the dead, and it was well they did not ; as it is probable Mrs. Markell could not much longer have successfully enacted the role of death. It is hardly possible to imagine the agony of this brave woman, who was entirely conscious the whole time her foes were present, and allowed her scalp to be torn off without the apparent movement of a muscle. Is there a woman in Minden who could do it to-day? Mrs. Markell found friends, was cared for and recovered, but carried the bullet in her body to the grave. Not very long after her misfortunes, probably in the next season, she married Christian Getman, of Ephratah, where she lived the remainder of a long and very useful life, and where she died in April, 1821, at the age, as believed, of 85 years ; which would place her birth about the year 1736, and her terrible misfortunes when she was at the age of twenty-one years. She is now, (1877); remembered by four or five of her aged descendants and relatives, from whom these facts were learned, as a remarkably industrious, interesting and exemplary old lady. The loss of her scalp was partially concealed by the manner in which she combed her hair. She had six children by her second marriage, viz; Peter, Christian, Jacob, Adam, Catharine and Anna. Peter Getman, her oldest son, was a pensioner after the war for services rendered his country in the Revolution.

Although here and there a block house was erected on our frontiers in the last French war, it is believed there was none in this town; but it is not unlikely that several private dwellings were strengthened and made ready for defence. There was a chain of defences, however, at greater or less distances apart, from Schenectady to Fort Stanwix, now Rome: and prominent among them were Fort Johnson, the residence of Sir William Johnson, near Amsterdam; Fort Hunter, at the Lower Mohawk Castle; Fort Canajoharie, at the Upper Castle; Fort Kouari, in the German Flats settlement; and Fort Schuyler, on the present site of Utica, then above the white settlements of the valley.

EARLY MILLS AND MILLING.

Tradition does not tell us when the first mill was erected in Minden, but it is believed one was built on the Otsquago as early as 1740 or 1750. We may suppose that for a time after the pioneer whites settled in this town, they adopted the Indian mode of pounding their grain for use; until Fox erected his mill on the Garoga, in the western part of Palatine, to which, crossing the river in boats, they took their small grists for a time. Fox, who came from Schoharie, also built one of the first saw mills in the county, which for a period supplied lumber for some distance from it. Isaac Paris is said to have built a grist mill in 1770, and to have sold it ten years later to D. Driesbach, a bugler in Burgoyne's army, who was taken prisoner and remained in this country, and who was the father of the renowned lion tamer, Herr Driesbach. The latter, born at Fort Plain, died December 5, 1877, aged 70, on a farm owned by him in Ohio.

MINDEN'S CHURCH HISTORY.

The first Reformed Dutch Church of Canajoharie (now in the town of Minden) was erected in 1750, on what has long been known as Sand Hill, a little distance above the Abeel place on the Dutchtown road. Of this church, Rev. A. Rosecrantz was the pastor for the first eight years. The edifice, a wooden structure, stood in a sightly place on the westerly side of the road, and was burnt by the enemy at their invasion under Brant, in 1780. The preaching in this church was in the German language. At the time of its destruction Domine Gros was its pastor, and from that time to the close of the war he preached in a barn that stood on the William Lipe farm, in the ravine through which the road ran from the river to the military post known as Fort Plain. This old barn was torn down and a new one erected on its site about the year 1859. An old dwelling standing a few rods below it, which was erected more than a hundred years ago, gave place in the summer of 1875 to a substantial brick edifice. Thus, one after another, are the old land-marks removed. These buildings, with several others, were so near the fort, that the enemy never ventured to molest or destroy them. One of the latter was an old house which gave place to the beautiful mansion of Mrs. Harvey E. Williams, about a dozen years ago.

A new church edifice, erected on the site of the old one at the close of the war, was also constructed of wood, and was a large and well proportioned building, with a small half-round pulpit, having a short uncushioned bench for its seat, that would accommodate only one sitter; while over the minister's head was a dangerous looking sounding-board. The church had a gallery upon three sides, and was graced with a steeple without a bell. It was built by contract by Peter March for one thousand pounds- $2,500. A lightning-rod on the building having become broken, the lightning struck it and went through, doing considerable damage. Gen. Washington died December 14, 1799, and his death, a marked event, was solemnly observed at this church, as at many others throughout the land. We then had no telegraph to herald such tidings, and days were required to spread them abroad. Funeral ceremonies took place here in the latter part of December, and although the weather was cold, there was little snow on the ground, and the gathering of the people was immense. The church was beautifully festooned with evergreens and crape, and was literally packed with an interested audience, as was learned twenty years ago from John Arndt, who was present as a boy at the time. Rev. Isaac Labaugh is said to have officiated on the occasion, and his discourse was afterwards published. Led in a procession was a caparisoned horse, with holsters upon the saddle, to which was also attached a pair of boots, indicating the loss of a soldier. Where the procession formed is unknown, probably at the public house of Nicholas Dygert, then situated just beyond the Christian Bellinger place, westward of the church. This was, perhaps, the most important and imposing observance of Washington's death witnessed in the Mohawk valley, and not a few were there assembled who saw that distinguished hero in his visit to this locality in the summer of 1782, seventeen years before, when his excursion extended to Cherry Valley and the foot of Otsego Lake, the site of Cooperstown.

In the thirty-eight years succeeding Mr. Rosecrantz's ministry, the preachers included Rev. Ludwig Luppe, Rev. Mr. Kennipe and Rev. J. I,. Broeffle (or Preffle), Of Mr. Kennipe it is written that " he once received a merciless flagellation from a hard man, by the name of Diel, as they rode together on horseback on the river's bank. The minister would not prosecute, but appealed to God; and, strange to say, both men died on the same night." From 1788 to 1796, Rev. A. Christian Diedrich Peck was the pastor. He is described as " a portly man, an amateur equestrian, who has left behind him the reputation of an unsurpassed orator. Great congregations thronged to hear him." He was succeeded, in 1796, by Dr. John Daniel Gros, "a man of considerable learning," who had been professor of moral philosophy in Columbia College. From 1800 to 1803, Rev. Isaac Labaugh supplied the churches of Canajoharie, Stone Arabia and Sharon. His successor was Rev. J. I. Wack, who continued pastor till 1816, and was "probably the last minister of the old Sand Hill church." He was an army chaplain in the war of 1812, and " a man of commanding personal appearance."

John Christopher Wieting, a native of Brandenburg, Germany, while a student in a university at the age of 18, was in 1777 pressed into the British service. He was made a prisoner at Saratoga, resolved to become an American citizen, and settled at Greenbush ; from whence he came into the town of Minden, and established one of its earliest schools. He began to preach as a disciple of Martin Luther, about the year 1795. His labors in a few years resulted in establishing two churches, one at the " Squake "- a contraction of Otsquago-a settlement near the source of the creek of that name, and the other at Geissenberg, in that neighborhood. These churches were seven or eight miles apart, and the last mentioned was a brick edifice of fair dimensions, having a comely steeple, but no bell in it. This church had a small, high, octagonal pulpit, made to seat one person, with a sounding-board overheard, and had a gallery upon three sides. Instead of a shed, a pine-grove near by sheltered the horses from the summer's sun and the winter's storm. The Otsquago church was a wooden structure of respectable size, but without a steeple. The Geissenberg church was dedicated about the year 1806 ; Rev. Philip Krutz preached the sermon on the occasion. After services began in this church, people from many miles around came here to worship ; and one from the vicinity of the upper Lutheran church, now in Stark, is remembered as being very constant in his attendance, making the journey on foot-an example for tile modern Christian, who cannot rise early enough on Sunday morning to get ready to attend church service ten rods from his own dwelling. Rev. Mr. Wieting was a very energetic and popular preacher, and continued to officiate at these churches up to the time of his death, which occurred Feb. 17,1817, when he was about 58 years of age. These churches seemed to prosper for a time after his decease, but finally fell into disuse, and both have long since been destroyed.

It should be stated, in connection with the Geissenberg church, that its "fore singer," as the chorister was called in those days, was a clever German named Gotlieb Krake, who also came into this country as a Hessian soldier under Gen. Burgoyne. He would read two lines of a hymn, and then sing them-in German, of course-and those who remember his singing say that he dwelt long upon his notes, trilling them as though in an ague fit. His was a very important part of the worship, for it always required considerable time.

The present hamlet of Fordsbush, in the southwest corner of the town, has two churches, Lutheran and Universalist. The latter was organized in 1838. The church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1874, and re-dedicated in December of that year, when the membership was sixty-four. The pastors have included J. D. Hicks, D. C. Tomlinson, T. L. Harris, Adolphus Skinner, J. H. Harter, A. B. Grosh, 0. K. Crosby, G. W. Skinner, T. L. Hathaway, Daniel Ballon, C. C. Richardson, H. H. Baker, W. G. Anderson, A. C. Barry, Q. L. Shinn, 0. Cone, R. L. Lansing, E. E. Peck, J. W. Lamoine and James H. Ballou. Mr. Lamoine's pastorate of only three months was terminated by his death. The Fordsbush cemetery, " Mount Hope," in which he was buried, is managed by an association organized in May, 1862. It contains about four acres of land, and numerous fine monuments, one of which cost $1,500.

Freysbush also has two churches, Lutheran and Methodist. The Lutheran church was organized by nine members, at the house of John Dunckel, June 28, 1834, taking the name of "The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Freysbush." Daniel Ottman, Andrew Roof and Wm. Reagles were the first elders. In 1835 the church became connected with the Hartwick Synod. There were then fifty-five members, of whom only two are now living in the neighborhood. In 1837 the Franckean Synod was formed, and this church connected with it. In 1841 a house of worship was erected, 30 feet by 42, at a cost of about $1,000. It was subsequently remodeled and enlarged, at an expense of $1,100. A shed for teams, 145 feet long, was built in 1845 ; and a parsonage and barn, costing $2,500, in 1868. In 1872 the church property, including an acre and a half of land, was valued by the Synod at $6,580. The membership of the church is one hundred and seventeen. The Sabbath-school was organized in 1841. W. Reagles was superintendent for the first twenty years. The school has sixty scholars.

Methodist services have been held at Freysbush since 1812, but the place has only been an independent pastoral charge since 1847. Up to that time it was at different periods part of the Otsego, Litchfield, Sharon and Canajoharie circuits, large regions generally in charge of two of the " circuit-rider " preachers jointly. Among those who thus ministered at this post, both as preacher and presiding elder, was Rev. George Gary, who is spoken of in terms of the highest praise by those who remember him. The Freysbush station belonged to the Genesee Conference until 1829 ; to the Oneida for the next forty years ; to the Central New York from 1865 to 1873, and to the Northern New York from that date to the present year. It now belongs to the Troy Conference. It has been successively in the Oneida (1812-28), Chenango (1829-35), Oneida (1836-45), Otsego (1846-68), Herkimer (1869-76), and Albany presiding elder's districts. The church building of the society is the second occupied by them, its predecessor having been the first Methodist church built in the town. Rev. L. E. Marvin is the present pastor.

THE REVOLUTIONARY EPOCH.

When the causes which had for years been taking on a threatening shape finally culminated in a belligerent attitude between the colonies and the mother country, the people of Minden, who were now living comfortably, and, with schools in every little hamlet, teaching English and German, had become as intelligent as the citizens of any part of the valley, looked with favor upon the action of their Yankee cousins at Boston, and a majority of them were at once in sympathy with their rebellious movements. The love of liberty having brought their fathers to this land to endure every peril and hardship, their descendants were not disposed willingly to bear anew the iron heel of despotism. Hence, while the minions of loyalty would enforce the oppressive acts of mother England to raise a revenue from the people without a voice in the legislation which exacted it, they raised their voices and were ready, if need be, to raise their arms against those measures. Such a course, however, could not result otherwise than in bringing collision of sentiment into every neighborhood, which, if continued, must soon tend to open and active hostility ; and when the clash of arms came at I.exington, the people of the whole . country were at once arrayed against and for the crown, and came soon after to be designated as whigs and tories.

The several districts of Tryon county took action in the matter disturbing the country, and chose Committees of Safety to co-operate with each other, and with the State Committee, in adopting and enforcing needed measures for the public welfare. The first meeting of the several district committees of the whole county convened June 2, 1775, when the Canajoharie district was represented by Nicholas Herkimer, Ebenezer Cox, William Seeber, Thomas Henry, John Pickard, John Moore, Samuel Campbell and Samuel Clyde. Herkimer and Cox lived in the present town of Danube ; Seeber and Pickard in Minden, Henry in Harpersfield, Moore, Campbell and Clyde in Cherry Valley.

As it became apparent that the whole country must become involved in a general war, preparations were everywhere made for a defence, and in no place were they so much needed as in territory bordering on hostile Indian grounds. The three forts-Plain, Herkimer and Dayton, were all erected in 1776. Early in that season, Col. Dayton was sent to repair Fort Stanwix, and it is not improbable he was consulted about the manner of getting the other three named in readiness for defence ; one of which was called after him. Fort Plain was said by the late Lawrence Gros, who was a boy living near when it was erected, to have been so named " because, from the eminence upon which it stood, there was such a plain or prospective view ;" the area of level ground around it being comparatively limited. The boss workman in building it, said Mr. Gros, was permitted to name it. Spafford, in his Gazetteer, said this fort was on the bank of the river ; whereas it was a quarter of a mile distant, and elevated more than fifty feet above the Mohawk.

Fort Plain was a square inclosure in palisades of perhaps one-third of an acre of ground, with its entrance gate upon its south-easterly side toward the road leading up a ravine to it. It had in its diagonally opposite corners two small block-houses, each so projecting as to command two sides of the inclosure, and both mounting cannon. Only two or three rods from it, on the side hill, was a living spring, where the garrison obtained water. This spring has lately been utilized by the employment of a hydraulic ram. Who commanded this post at first is not known, and probably it was not garrisoned until the spring of 1777. Col. Willett was its commander for several seasons, perhaps not consecutively, still he is believed to have been here constantly in the summers of 1780 and 1781. He occupied the eastern hut of three or four built on the side of the hill below the pickets, perhaps a rod or two from the spring. This was done because the inclosure was found too small to receive a sufficient number of rude tenements for all the exposed families, which resorted here nights for safety, especially when the enemy were known to be prowling about. The village of Fort Plain took its name from this military post.

After the incursions of the enemy under Brant and other savage leaders in 1780, (which were the more numerous and vindictive on account of the destruction of their own towns by Sullivan in 1779), rendering so many families houseless, it became necessary to increase the fort accommodations for them, and there was erected the structure afterwards known as the block-house. It was constructed 'of heavy square timber, octagonal in form, three stories in height, each story projecting a few feet over its base, with loop-holes for musketry. Within it was constructed an immense oven. It had one or more cannon, to be used as signal guns, or in repelling invaders. It stood upon a small knoll, (which at the end of a century the farmer's plow has nearly obliterated,) perhaps twenty rods south-west from the palisaded inclosure. French's Gazetteer erroneously states that this block-house was erected in the French war, and by a French engineer. Had it been erected twenty years earlier, it would hardly have been done by a Frenchman, as we were at war with France. It was doubtless constructed under the immediate surveillance of Col. Willett, but who designed it is unknown ; it is, however, believed to have been the first of its kind on our frontiers. Some writer has connected the name of Col. Gansevoort with the construction of this unique fortification, but why is unknown. He certainly was not on duty here when it was. built, 'and Col. Willett was, and had the supervision of all the defences in the neighborhood. Another writer has said that, although there was a sort of defence here before that period, the fort proper was not erected until 1778. Capt. Robert McKean, a partisan officer of great merit, from the Cherry Valley settlement, who was severely wounded in the New Dorlach or Sharon battle, in 1780, was, at his request, brought to Fort Plain on a litter, where he survived his wound but a day or two. He was at first interred where other soldiers were, a little distance from the palisaded defence. A farm road has, within the past twenty years, been cut along the brow of the hill, commencing near the site of this military post. Some writer has stated that Capt. McKean died and was buried in Freysbush ; this is an error. The late Lawrence Gros, whose father was a Captain, also, in the Sharon battle, asserted that he saw Capt. McKean's remains disinterred, and reburied with military honors on the brow of the hill, in front of the block-house, on its completion; which it is believed was. in the spring of 1781.

The fortification called Fort Plank was situated on elevated ground, nearly four miles south-west from Fort Plain, and consisted of a small palisaded inclosure embracing a dwelling, which has for years been known as the late Chauncey House place, and is now owned by Reuben Failing, and occupied by his son Joseph. When fortified it was owned by a family named Plank, on which account it was thus named. This German name is still represented by several respectable families in the town. It is supposed a small block-house made a part of this defence, in which a cannon was mounted, at all times ready to be used as a .signal gun. A few soldiers were no doubt on duty here much of the time in the summer season, to protect so far as practicable the farming interest ; as was the case at similar defences elsewhere. The significant voice of the Fort Plank cannon many a time brought in quite a number of families, more especially their male members, in a circuit of a few miles. This fort is supposed to have been established in 1777, and well did it answer its purpose.

The single discharge of a cannon at this and all similar defences on our frontier indicated that the foeman was abroad and the settler must flee to the fort; but two or three discharges in quick succession told the fugitive quite as plainly that the enemy was already between him and the fort, and that he must find a safe cover elsewhere, from the Indian's tomahawk ; and many had such places selected in the forest, where they found temporary refuge.

Fort Clyde was a military post situated on the farm of Henry H. Nellis, still owned by his descendants, in Freysbush. It was on elevated ground, affording a fine prospect, and was about three miles south of east from Fort Plain, as the roads then ran, but about two miles by the present highway. It was named after Col. Clyde, of the Cherry Valley settlement, and was not unlike the original Fort Plain, being a palisaded inclosure with blockhouse corners. It had one or two cannon, and is believed to have dated its existence from 1777. The timber for its palisades is said to have all been cut on the Nellis farm. Col. Clyde, tradition says, fitted up this post, and proved a frequent visitant in looking after the welfare of his foster- child. This place of refuge is believed to have saved not a few inhabitants. from death or captivity ; and near it was enacted many a thrilling scene- Here is one of the number : Henry Nellis and his son George H. known afterwards as General Nellis, to whom the farm descended on some occasion in the war, fled toward the fort, pursued by Indians, when the latter was tripped by some object and fell, just as an Indian fired upon him. His father called to him to know if he was hurt. Springing up with the exclamation that he thought he was not, he entered the fort behind his father, when, to his surprise, he found a bullet hole through his hat. The dwelling of John P. Dunckel now stands very nearly upon the site of Fort Clyde. Mr. Dunckel's mother related the following incident of Brant's descent upon this neighborhood in 1780, which we take from a publication issued a few years since :

"Two uncles of Mrs. D., Peter and Franz, were splitting timber for a wagon, about half a mile from the block house, when suddenly the Indians fired upon them and rushed forward with uplifted tomahawks to complete the massacre. Peter was wounded and captured, but Franz, unharmed, started for the fort, which he reached in safety, but fell exhausted at the entrance and was dragged in by the inmates. The women of the fort, by their energetic defence, deceived the attacking party and they withdrew. Peter D. was taken to Canada, where, after a year's captivity, he was exchanged. A Mrs. Pletts was taken at the same time. Her house was near the fort, and while seated under a tree near by, she was surprised by the approach of the Indians and ran, pursued by a single savage. Being closely pursued she endeavored to escape by running around a tree, but the Indian stopped and she ran into his open arms. She was taken to Canada and treated quite well ; was assigned to the duty of cook for her captors. She returned at the close of the war, and after the death of her husband, married Peter Dunckel, her fellow captive. When taken prisoner she left a baby six months old, which was overlooked by the Indians."

The following are from the same source :

"The house of Johannes Lipe was saved from plunder and fire by the coolness and courage of his wife. She had been busy carrying her most valuable articles from her house to a place of concealment, and had made several deposits there. The last time she returned, she met at the gate two Indians. Being familiar with their language, she inquired if they knew anything of her two brothers, who were among the Tories that fled to Canada. Fortunately the Indians had seen them, and supposing her to be a Tory, they walked off and the house was saved."

" In one of Brant's incursions into the Mohawk valley, he came down through what is known as Dutch Town, in Minden, and with torch and tomahawk, laid waste the country. After an attack upon Fort Nellis, a block-house near St. Johnsville, they crossed over to Fort Willett, a blockhouse built by the Lipes, Countrymans and Wmdeckers, on land now owned by William Timerman. An old tree near the residence of D. T. Timerman is pointed out as the spot where the wife of Dr. Frame was killed. Their house was back of Timerman's and would probably have been passed by unseen, but Mrs. F., hearing the yells of the savages, started for the fort ; she was discovered, tomahawked and scalped. At the stone house of Henry Seeber, on Sand Hill, above Fort Plain, a boy, John A. Lipe, was doing picket duty. When the alarm was given, the women fled to the fort, followed by the men, who were at work in the field. Dinner was already prepared and upon the table ready for the laborers ; this the enemy disposed of and then set fire to the house. The woodwork was burned out, and the walls remained until purchased by Mr. Lipe, who rebuilt it. In 1848 it was taken down to make way for the house now occupied by Mr. Adam Lipe." Col. Samuel Clyde was a brave, cautious and prudent officer during the whole war, giving most of his valuable services to this part of the Mohawk valley, which should ever gratefully cherish his memory. We have elsewhere stated that Gen. Washington, on a tour of observation in the summer of 1782 to the frontier posts of New York, visited Fort Plain, from whence he went to Cherry Valley-no doubt looking in upon Fort Clyde on his way thither. At this time Col. Clyde was in command at Fort Plain. The party came up on the south side of the Mohawk ; and it is believed that Gov. George Clinton, and others in the suite, proceeded directly to Fort Plain, while Washington, attended only by a servant, crossed the river at Van Alstine's ferry, below Canajoharie, to proceed to Palatine, and become the welcome guest of Peter W. Wormuth, whose son Martinus, a patriotic young lieutenant, was killed by Brant in 1778, near Cherry Valley. Thus was Washington ever seeking to honor by his presence those who had suffered in the war. Lieut. Wormuth had married Gertrude, daughter of Rudolf Shoemaker, whose wife was a sister of Gen. Herkimer. After Lieut. Wormuth's death the widow married Major John Frey.

While Gen. Washington was at Fort Plain the following incident transpired, as related by the late Judge George C. Clyde, of Cherry Valley, who was a grandson of the Colonel. As Washington-who, on his arrival, was handsomely saluted by the garrison-dismounted, Gov. Clinton introduced commandant Clyde to the generalissimo, observing, as he did so : " This is Col. Clyde, who has devoted most of his time to the service of his country during the war, neglecting his own pecuniary interest for his country's good. He deserves to be rewarded in some manner for his valuable services." " Then," quickly responded the Father of his Country, "you should remember him in your appointments." As the war was then nearing its close, civil positions began to be looked after. The governor did afterwards adopt Washington's hint, by appointing Col. Clyde sheriff of Montgomery county, an office whose duties he honorably discharged for several years ; and more than once, in the absence of a favorable crossing, his horse swam the Mohawk with him to attend court at Johnstown.

In the extreme northwest corner of this town dwelt, at the beginning of the war, Johannes Windecker, an. honest German, whose house was palisaded at an early period of the struggle, and called Fort Windecker. In benefit of this defence. The inclosure was quite a small one, as learned from a soldier who performed some duty there during the war. It was situated between Fort Herkimer and Fort Plain, nearly eight miles west of north from the latter, upon the river road as now called, and had, with its kindred military posts, its signal gun, probably contained in a small block-house. This place, like similar institutions, in the time of danger had at least one sentinel on duty in " the stilly night," who at this place was usually posted outside of the pickets. Interesting scenes transpired here, as at all our frontier posts. When Sir John Johnson and Brant-whose trail of carnage and plunder in October, 1780, extended through the Schoharie and Mohawk valleys-fled before the militia under Van Rensselaer, they crossed the river not far from this fort, seven men and a boy sallying from which, killed an Indian and took nine prisoners, several of whom were so worn out with fatigue as to be willingly captured. They told the inmates of the fort that the whole army was in such a state of lassitude that it was on the point of surrender, when Van Rensselaer fell back to encamp, and gave them a chance to get away.

Fort Willett was a palisaded inclosure on the highest ground in Dutchtown, and was situated over four miles from Fort Plain, on land now owned by William Zimmerman. The incursions of the enemy in 1780 necessitated the erection of this stockade, which is understood to have been completed that fall, under the direction of Col. Willett. Quite a number of families, too distant from the other forts named to be benefited by them, found a safe retreat here. This inclosure, which had ample room for huts for all the exposed families, had the usual block-house corners and an alarm gun. As it was isolated from any dwelling, it had a good-sized oven, the ruins of-which were visible not many years ago. The timber for its pickets was cut on several adjoining farms, and was drawn together by the owners of them, as.was learned over a quarter of a century ago from the late George Countryman, of Fordsbush, who, a lad at the time, drove his father's team to draw part of the material together. The pickets were the trunks of straight trees of different kinds, about a foot through at the butts and cut long enough to be sunk three or four feet in the ground, and rise above it a dozen or more feet. "On the return of peace," said Countryman,." each family drew home its share of the pickets, to be converted into fences or out-buildings." On the completion of this opportune castle, Col. Willett, with a squad of his men, rode out to see it. He was much pleased with the condition of things, and remarked to the citizens assembled to meet him : "You have a nice little fort here ; what do you call it ?" " It has no name yet," was the reply ; "won't you give it one ?" "Well," said the Colonel, " this is one of the nicest little forts on the frontier, and you may call it-after me, if you please." The name was greeted with a cheer, and thus was the name of Willett localized in the town of Minden forever. Some years ago David T. Timmerman, with the patriotic motive of fastening the name more definitely, upon the locality, endeavored, though unsuccessfully, to get a post-office established in its neighborhood ; and more recently the name has been given to a cheese-factory near by.

Commencing westerly, Fort Windecker, Fort Willett, Fort Plank and Fort Clyde were only two or three miles apart, the first three being nearly on a north and south line, curving easterly to embrace the last fort named, and being in something like a half circle around Fort Plain. Thus, in the latter part of the war, the town of Minden had five well established places of defence, which, with the assistance of a few rangers from Fort Plain, enabled the surviving inhabitants to furnish most of the bread for the district.

We can only summarize the experiences of the following participants in the events of the Revolution among the people of this region, or simply mention their names, though the incidents suggest volumes, beside which the average dime novel would be tame and insipid: John Brookman, who was carried captive to Canada by the Indians, and made to run the gauntlet; Castina Bellinger, who was taken by the Indians to Canada when only three years old, where she afterward married and refused to return when found by her father; Frederick Bellinger; Christian, Jacob and Peter Bellinger, who were captured by the Indians, the last two tomahawked and scalped, and Christian held for three years as a slave; Nicholas Casler; John Casler, a baker for the army, who is said to have kneaded dough with his feet; Jacob Conkling, mate on the brig Middletown; John Chisley ; George Clock; Abram Copeman, a Revolutionary major; George Dievendorff, a captain; John Dievendorff, who escaped from captivity two years after he had been taken by the Indians; Henry Dievendorff, who was shot at Oriskany by an Indian, who was immediately killed by William Cox; Jacob Rievendorff, a captain, who passed safely through the Revolution; George Davis, who was in the battles with Burgoyne, and at one time, with two other patriots, captured three tories, whom Davis escorted to Albany; John Dillenbeck, a captain; John Peter Dunckel; George, brother of the last named, who lost an eye by an Indian bullet, and thereafter drew a pension; Maj. John Eisenlord, killed at Oriskany; Cornelius Flint; Mrs. Dr. Frame, murdered by the Indians near the present farm of D. T. Timmerman while trying to escape to Fort Nellis; Peter Flagg, a soldier under Col. Willett; Henry J. Failing; John Gremps, a fifteen-year-old victim of Oriskany; Peter, his brother, who put out, with a barrel of swill, a fire that had been kindled in his house by the Indians and tories when they made their raid through Stone Arabia ; Christian Hufnail; Peter H. House; Samuel Howe; Rudolph Keller, who was taken to Canada by the Indians, and returned after six months with consumption, from which he died; Peter Lambert, a spy; John Lambert, captured by the Indians at twelve years old, and who on his return two years after was only known to his mother by a scar on one arm, and could not eat food as usually cooked, but would go into the woods and cook for himself; Adam Lipe, wounded during the war; John Lipe; George Lambert, a butcher in the army; Moses Lowell, a patriot soldier; Francis Lighthall; Isaac Miller, who was taken by the Indians, scalped and left for dead, but revived, reached friends and recovered; John Miller, one of the pursuers of Brant; Jacob Mathews; Solomon, John Henry, Jacob and Henry Moyer, soldiers, the last wounded in the shoulder; Nicholas Pace; John Roof, who took part at Oriskany, and another of the same name at Johnstown; Henry and Peter Sitts, the latter of whom while on a scout had his horse shot down, and, falling under the animal, was captured and kept in Canada during the war; Barbara Schenck, captured by the Indians while pulling flax and taken, thinly dressed and barefoot, to Canada, with her baby and a girl of eleven, where they were cared for by a tory who recognized them, and whence they returned to the States, except the daughter, who married and removed to New England; Peter Snell; Henry Sanders, whose head was grazed by a bullet at the battle of Oriskany; Peter and John Snyder; Henry Seeber, a paymaster-general in the American army; Henry Timmerman, grandfather of D. T. Timmerman, who was in the block-house at St. Johnsville when it was attacked by Brant, being then but sixteen; Giles Van Vost; Nicholas Van Slyke, a boatman on the Mohawk, who boasted of having killed forty-seven Indians, but was finally killed by them and his body mutilated; Jacob Wagner; Jos. H, Wiles; -- Wilkes, grandfather of Matthew Wilkes, a scout, who contracted a fatal disease in the service; --Wermuth, shot dead when Sitts was taken; Henry Waffle; G. Walrath, who was captured by the Indians, but killed his guard and escaped into a swamp, where he covered himself with mud and eluded search; Jacob Walrath; George Yoncker; Adam, John and Nancy Yordon, the latter of whom was taken prisoner to Canada and there married; Christian Young; and Henry Galler, who was killed during the war.

EARLY TRADERS IN MINDEN.

The first German settlers came into this town between 1720 and 1725, and probably no local tradesman was found among them for the next twenty or more years ; the merchandise they must of necessity have being procured at Schenectady, when not brought to their doors by Indian traders and pack-venders. Their wants, however, were few, and luxuries were unknown among this honest, hospitable, and from necessity, illiterate people ; for the reader must know that as yet they had no schools, few books and no newspapers. To every kind of luxurious indulgence they were strangers, and as for envy, they could hardly have known the meaning of the word ; for their fashions were not looked for from either Paris or London. They were almost strangers to Asiatic tea and coffee, but they did substitute for the latter beverage roasted peas, sweetened with sugar the forest maple afforded them. They spun and wove their own flax and wool, and made their own clothing principally, bringing into liberal requisition deer skins and other peltries. Native genius, with them as with the Indians, enabled them to bridge over many of the ruts which are found in fashion's pathway. And yet who shall say these people were not happy ? for they had neither the care of accruing interest on government bonds to re-invest, nor the fear of a sheriff's attachment on either a baby carriage or a mortgaged piano to keep them awake nights-saying nothing about the bedraeeled condition of several yards of trailine silk.

The first store in the town of which we have any positive knowledge, was established near the Sand Hill church, by William Seeber, a German, at the place where for years Adam Lipe has resided. His store was opened about 1750, and he traded here during the French war. He was a major of militia in the Oriskany battle, where he received a wound, of which he died one hundred and twenty-six days after, at his own home. Two of his sons were also in that conflict, Audolph, who was slain there, and Capt. Jacob W., who fell with a broken leg, and died shortly after the limb was amputated at Fort Herkimer.

Isaac Paris, a brother-in-law of Washington Irving, was the first merchant in the town after the Revolution. In 1786 he erected a large house, in which he resided and traded for several years, boating his goods up the Mohawk. This building, which was heavily timbered, is still standing in Fort Plain, and has long been known as the Bleecker house. It had four large chimneys, and one of them, in which no fires are made, is the summer residence of great numbers of chimney swallows ; their hovering over and entrance to it at night-fall being an interesting spectacle. Mr. Paris was a very fair, as well as a very extensive dealer, and his kindness became proverbial. Says Spafford in his, Gazetteer of 1824, speaking of the town of Paris, Oneida county, evidently in the language of a correspondent: " This town was named in honor of a Mr. Paris, at the request of the inhabitants. In 1789, ' the year of scarcity,' which some of us well remember, when the settlements in this quarter were in a feeble, infant state, Isaac Paris, then a merchant at Fort Plain, on the Mohawk, supplied the inhabitants with Virginia corn on a liberal credit, and took of us in payment, ginseng, and anything we could get, supplying our necessities in the kindest manner, for which in gratitude, when the town was erected, we requested to have it named Paris." " Traits of this character," added Spafford, " I love to record." Ginseng, a medicinal root indigenous to this country, at that period entered largely into our foreign exports ; indeed, great quantities of it before the Revolution were procured by the Indians, which, with furs, they bartered with early traders.

Conrad Gansevoort was the next Minden merchant. He came from Schenectady, as believed, before 1790 ; as we suppose him to have been established here in business prior to his marriage, which took place Nov. 12, 1791. He was then married to Elizabeth, a daughter of John Roseboom, Esq., who had previously moved from Schenectady , and settled on the late Abram N. Van Alstine's place, below Canajoharie. Gansevoort erected a dwelling with a store in it on a knoll at the foot of Sand Hill, The building stood on the present farm of Seeber Lipe ; and within a few years has been moved further back from the road, and converted into a double dwelling. After nearly twenty years of successful trading, Gansevoort, who was a man much respected in the township, retired from business and returned to Schenectady.

Three Oothout brothers, Garret, Jonas, and Volkert, came from Schenectady near the advent of Gansevoort, some say just before and others just after ; and on their arrival they erected a large two-story building some fifty feet long for a store, with a dwelling in its easterly end. It stood on the lower side of the river road, about a mile and a quarter west of the village of Fort Plain, near the present residence of James Polluck ; one corner of it being afterwards undermined by the construction of the canal. Of the Oothout firm, it is remembered that Garret, the oldest, and who was a bachelor, was blind, but remarkably shrewd, with a sense of feeling so keen that he could readily distinguish silver coins, so that no one could pass a ten cent piece on him for a shilling, or a pistareen for the quarter of a dollar. For a number of years Gansevoort and the Oothouts had quite a large trade, the latter firm wholesaleing to some extent. Both of these firms purchased considerable wheat, as no doubt their neighbor Paris did while in trade, which they sent to Albany, much of it, we conclude, going down the river to Schenectady in their own boats. Jonas Oothout, who lived in the store building, and who married Maria Fox, had two daughters, Lydia and Maria. The latter died young, but the former, who was born in that building in 1801, was married in it in 1823, to Peter J. Wagner, Esq. Her father had died a year or two before. Mrs. Wagner is remembered as a most estimable lady. After her death, Mr. Wagner married Margaret Oothout, daughter of Abram Oothout, whose wife was Gazena De Graft. Abram Oothout was a younger brother of the trades men and settled on the farm adjoining their store, and in the now Polluck. dwelling, his daughter Margaret was born in 1811. Thus it happened that the cousins whom Mr. Wagner married chanced to be born in adjoining dwellings.

Robert McFarlan is said to have been the next Minden merchant, and to have come into the town from Paulet, Vt., about the year 1798. He was a remarkably smart business man, and established himself in trade on the opposite side of the road, a few rods from the Sand Hill Reformed Dutch Church. He married a daughter of Major Hause, of the neighborhood, which proved a stroke of good policy, since he not only got a good wife, but also the trade of her host of relatives and friends. He is said to have run an ashery near Hallsville, in connection with his business. He at once became an active member of society, filling the position of justice of the peace, as also that of colonel of militia ; and he i's said to have been not only a fine looking, but a very efficient officer. At a general parade he saw one of his captains a little distance from his men, and said to him, "Captain, go to your post !" Not exactly comprehending the nature of the order, he walked to his company and stated to some of his men in German the colonel's command, which was in English, wondering, as he said, what the latter meant. The reply of his men was, " Go to the head of your company !" As he is still remembered by the aged,, perhaps no man was ever more highly esteemed and respected in the community, than was Col. McFarlan. On a marble slab in the old graveyard attached to the Sand Hill church may yet be seen-although it is half down-the following inscription : " In memory of Robert McFarlan, Esq., who departed this life July 14, 1813, in the 49th year of his age."

About the year 1808, Conrad Gansevoort returned to Schenectady, when Henry N. Bleecker, a young man from Albany, who had long been his clerk, succeeded him in trade, doing, as believed, his share of business At the end of a few years he retired from business, went to Canajoharie and there married Betsey, a daughter of Philip R. Frey, and grand-daughter of Col. Hendrick Frey. She is said to have been the prettiest of three fine-looking sisters. Bleecker, after his marriage, remained on the Col.Frey farm, where he died at an early age. His widow married, for hersecond husband, John Gumming, Esq., then of Esperance, N. Y.

David Lipe and Rufus Firman succeeded Bleecker in trade, but howlong they were in business we cannot tell, though it is believed it was notvery long. They are supposed to have been the last merchants to occupythe Gansevoort store.

A year or two after the death of McFarlan, say about the year 1815, JohnA. Lipe and Abraham Dievendorff began to trade in the McFarlan building ; but, not harmonizing, they soon separated, when Henry Dievendorffjoined his brother in trade at that store, and Lipe fitted up a store on thesame side of the street, though a little nearer the church, which was occupied by his son Conrad, for whom it was erected, until about the year 1819,when he died. John A. Lipe continued to do business here for some time after his son's death. About the year 1820 the Dievendorff Brothers; Henry and Abram, erected a store near the canal, then being constructed, to which they removed, hoping to be benefited thereby. This building stood near the present premises of William dark, Esq., and will be remembered by old people as a long, yellow, two-story building, the upper floor being used for a public hall. Preaching was heard in this room, and so were the tones of a violin, for in it was held many a social dance. One such affair was in honor of the marriage of Peter J. Wagner, Esq., in 1823. In connection with their business, the Dievendorffs ran a distillery. They finally failed in trade, and were succeeded by David Dievendorff, a son of Henry, who had long been a clerk for his father and uncle. He was in trade for several years, but his business, like that of his predecessors, finally proved disastrous. About the year 1828, as the business part of the young village was destined to be lower down, the Dievendorff building was removed to the present site of the brick stores of the Dillenbeck Brothers and Walrath & Dunckel.

John R. Dygert and John Roth succeeded the Dievendorff Brothers on Sand Hill, and after a little time Solomon H. Moyer bought out Roth. A few years later Dygert & Moyer removed to a store erected by Dygert, where Wood, Clark & Co. are now in trade, at the canal bridge. This firm finally failed.

John Warner came into Freysbush as a successful Yankee school-master, and after a while, about 1810, he opened a store. In 1825 he erected the store now occupied by 'Valrath & Dievendorff, the second dry goods store erected in what is now the village proper, Henry P. Voorhees having built the first the year before on the bank of the creek, in the rear of the Peter G. Webster block, in which is the crockery store of the Lipe Brothers. Boats from the canal could then load and unload merchandise and grain at the Voorhees store.

Robert Hall, one of the earliest settlers of the town of Minden, was born in 1777; moved from Argyle, Washington county, N. Y., about the year 1800, and followed the occupation of a pack-pedlar through the Mohawk valley. He settled about 1810 in the place, now a post office, named, after him, Hallsville. With limited means he, in company with John White and a man named Cooper, built a store and tavern. After a few years Hall purchased the business of his partners, and continued alone. During his residence in this place he had an extensive business, at one time having four stores running in the county, besides a brewery, an ashery and a distillery; he also owned a grist-mill in Herkimer county. General trainings were frequently held at this place, and elections were held at the old tavern. Hall served in the war of 1812 as captain, and was stationed at Sackett's Harbor during the war. He also served one term in the State Legislature, and was one of the chief movers in the establishment of the Fort Plain Bank and one of the heaviest stockholders. During the earlier part of 1800, bands of Mohawk Indians were frequently camped at this place. Hall died December 7, 1841, at Hallsville.

WHIPPING POSTS AND STOCKS.

These disciplinary institutions were not only to be seen in nearly or quite every town in New England at the beginning of this century, but also in all the older settlements of New York. They were designed to punish petty thefts, for which from ten to fifty lashes were inflicted, according to the magnitude of the crime and its attending circumstances. Just how many there were in Montgomery county at that period is unknown, They were probably in use at Amsterdam, Caughnawaga, Stone Arabia and Herkimer, and we have successfully traced them to Johnstown, Fort Hunter, Freysbush and the Canajoharie church above Fort Plain. The last two named were long situated on the division of Canajoharie town. ship; one in that town and the other in Minden, until Freysbush was set off to Minden. Tradition has carefully preserved one of the last punishments of this kind inflicted at the Freysbush post, which stood where William Dunckel's cheese factory now stands. Here Jacob Cramer, for stealing a wash of clothing, was sentenced to thirty-nine lashes upon his bare back, which were inflicted by a constable for the then town of Canajoharie, named John Rice. This seemingly barbarous custom has long since become generally obsolete, but there seemed to have been time when immediate punishment for petty offences saved a bill of expense, if it did not actually lessen crime.

MINDEN'S CIVIL WAR RECORD.

The town of Minden furnished during the rebellion 518 men, at an expense, beside the county bounty, of $154,143.67-a significant hint at the expenditure of life and treasure incurred in the suppression of the rebellion and at the spirit in which the needed sacrifice was met.