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.

Petition to "Complete" Church

Therefore, it is not difficult for us to believe that as soon as the land was acquired for a church (1730), steps were taken to build one. If Johan Jost Herkimer could find could find stone to build a specious stone house as Fort Herkimer (1740) the same quarry would furnish stone for a house of God. The earliest documentary evidence, extant of the erection of a church on the south side is a petition to Gov. Clinton, dated Oct. 6, 1751. The petition cites that there are more than 150 families in Burnetsfield, but the attention of the reader is called to the fact that in his short petition the word "complete" is used twice and the word "finish" once, in referring to the structure that they wanted a license to go out and raise money for. This petition of Johan Jost Herkimer to Gov. Clinton surely reads as if the edifice had been begun, else why talk about "finishing" or "completing" it? A church the size of the stone edifice at Fort Herkimer even before its enlargement in 1812-1813, would require some years to build, considering the amplitude of the building and the paucity of resources for construction. Even in these modern days we have often seen a church raise their foundation walls, then cover them over, and use the basement for a place of worship for years. It's an arbitrary date, but we are prone to think that when Johan Jost Herkimer was completing his storehouse in 1740 the builders at the same time had been gathering the material for the erection of a house of worship to Almighty God. Indeed this might have been done soon after the land was bought. It would not be a strange thing for a decade to elapse before they were prepared to "finish" the structure altogether intended for Divine Worship." But ti would be passing strange that there was enough sentiment in German Flatts to call for the deeding of an acre of ground to twelve Christian men in 1730,who represented some form of church organization, and then for these men and the several hundred others either to wait a quarter of a century to carry out their great desire, or to be content with a log house inferior to their own houses. The beginning of the erection of the Old Stone Church is nearer 1740 than any other date. We have dwelt upon these incidents only because there are those who insist that there was no church organization nor any house of worship on the south side for many years after the place was settled, and that the stone church was wholly built in the years 1767.

Oldest Religious Edifice in Valley

The German Flatts stone church is the oldest religious edifice in the Mohawk Valley, the second oldest in New York State, and there are but few older in the United States. The stone church of St. George's Episcopal in Schenectady was completed in 1769, the frame Indian Castle mission church was erected the same year; the Palatine stone church was built in 1770; and the Schoharie Reformed Dutch Church of stone in 1772. Except the last named, all are in regular use today. The Sleepy Hollow Reformed Dutch Church was erected some time during the latter half of the seventeenth century at Tarrytown, NY. The Fishkill Reformed and the Fishkill Episcopal churches were erected in 1761 and 1760. This old stone church,and the organization behind it, for a century or more was one of the leading forces in the settlement and development of the whole upper valley of the Mohawk. It was an important rallying point in the political, social and patriotic life of the people. It was the religious Mecca toward which nearly all the adjacent country turned, while its pastors traveled far and wide in their itinerancy.

In the efforts to build and complete the Fort Herkimer Reformed Church there are still extant of probably many subscription lists that were passed around seeking funds. One list probably groups several separate ones as the list contains some two hundred names, representing settlers and dwellers about Albany, Schoharie, Schenectady, Caughnawaga, Stone Arabia and Canajoharie, and the country adjacent to each of the places. One list is headed by Nicholas Hergheimer and contains the names of Henrich Hergheimer, Joh Jost Hergheimer, Jr., George Hergheimer and Jost Hegheimer. A list dated Oct. 18, 1771, for the salary of the minister, contains the names of Niclas Hergheimer, Henrich Hercheimer, John Jost Hercheimer and Jost Hercheimer, Jr. One of the extant lists for the church is dated August 16, 1753, soon after the arrival on the field of Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz, whose handwriting is shown in all these lists. Early in 1766, just prior to the completion of the church, a petition was sent to Gov. Moore of the Province, asking permission to go out and collect money. It recites that the church was begun when the late war broke out, that the town has been devastated, but now they want to finish their church, their only present place of worship being a log house. Johan Jost Herkimer and Hendrick Bell are to do the collecting. The petition is signed by Peter Vols, Rololf Schomaker and Augustenis Hess. Among the subscribers' names on these lists are eight each of Becker, Veeder, and Vrooman. A list dated Aug. 16, 1753, is headed by Rev. Johannes Schuyler and Rev. Peter Nicholas Sommer, Schoharie pastors.