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.

Records of 1813

The next record in the book is of June 16, 1813, and reads, "Resolved that the next meeting for Public Worship be held in the new meeting house in the town of German Flatts." All of the 1814 recorded consistory meetings were discussions and decisions in regard tot he adjustment of former treasurers and elders who had subscription lists which they had not as yet accounts for, running some of them through several years; in the meanwhile the minister was begging that he might be reimbursed. On July 22, 1818 a subscription lists was passed around with this heading,--"We, the subscribers, desirous to hand down to our generation the genuine principles of our reformed Protestant Dutch Church according to the Heidelberg Catechism and having the means of the holy ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . .promise to the pay of the minister." There are fifty-three names on this list, subscribing $114.00 for the years. While the payments were to begin July 4, 1818, John G. Edick's was to begin July 4, 1818, John G. Edick's was to begin July 4, 1820, and that of Andrew Piper on Jan. 4, 1821. Just why a person wanted to subscribe three years in advance, with the uncertainty of life is an enigma, or what comfort of support the minister received from such a subscription passeth understanding. On July 24, 1823, there were fifteen subscribers on the list of one elder who had not yet paid and on another list twenty-nine who were still owing, or else, as was probable, the elders had not turned in what had been paid them, a common practice. The first subscription list put out for Mr. Spinner was dated Oct. 20, 1801. There are seventy-six signers, the highest amount pledged being $3.00 a year, the total, $71.75, six bushels of wheat and twenty five loads of wood.

Radical Changes in 1812

On Jan. 2, 1812, an important meeting was held at the home of the late Nicholas Aldridge to decide on what should be done toward repairing and enlarging the old stone church. Whether to repair by free or voluntary subscriptions or by the sale of the pews was decided by a majority of thirteen in favor of the latter method, a very wise decision in view of nearly a century of efforts to collect on subscription lists. Radical changes were determined upon, such as moving the pulpit from the river side to the "east side of the church opposite the west door of the church." A storm place was also directed to be put before this west door. William Clapsattle, Christopher P. Bellinger, Michael Ittig, Jr., Conrad Hess, and James Fox were the committee appointed by the congregation to carry out these repairs. It was decided to set apart seats near the pulpit for the deaf and the poor.

Then follows in the consistory book and incomplete drawing of the seating of the church on the main floor, in which the aisle is called an "alley." On Jan. 13, 1812, an adjourned meeting of the committee was held in the school house at which it was decided to close up the river side or northeast door and place an "alley" in the middle of the church six feet wide," from the door to the pulpit, and that from the wall of the pulpit to the first pews of the greater alley fifteen feet shall be left round the communion table, the pews on both sides the large alley to be eight by three feet. It was also agreed to run two small alleys parallel to the eight feet pews, the wall pews to be three feet by six and the seats in them to be built in the form of an angle. The pews for the choir and consistory were to be raised eight inches above the floor. The wall of the old building were to be "heightened" six to eight feet, the roof taken off and put on again and the windows to be"heightened" for more light in the gallery, and "two rows of pews to traverse towards the pulpit to gain more seats," and benches built before the first pews in the choir towards the communion table and the pulpit.

In the extensive repairs and enlargement of the church certain items of cost are of interest as the lightning rod, $15.38 (91 lbs.), the high pulpit and canopy $110.00 (originally of mahogany design beautifully inlaid with scroll work), printing the pew deeds, $4.00 "scrubbing", $32.75, stove pipe, $42.00, church seal, $5.00, painting church, $77.00, "taking down the old church," (?) $1.12, etc. The sale of the pews realized $4,497.02 while the expense of repairs was $4,265.49, leaving a balance of $231.53. There was a shrinkage in the pew sale as not all paid the amount they bid, and sixteen members of the consistory and congregation, and the minister who supervised the repairs, were paid for the time so spent, for signing the pew deeds, auctioneering, etc. For several years following these repairs and reconstruction the church finances were the principal topic of discussion at the meetings of the consistory. The prevalent system in vogue for about a century in both churches was to arm each elder in the consistory with a subscription list for the minister's salary,which was paid semiannually (when it was paid), and turn them loose on the congregation. At times actually years elapsed before these lists were accounted for by those who had circulated them. In 1816 when these salary arrears and other debts had become a great burden the Chancery Court at Albany authorized the German Flatts church to sell certain of their glebe to meet the same. Subsequent to these sales many questions arose as to the boundary lines of the several parcels, and members of the consistory were paid large sums to act as arbitrators of the difficulties.

In the year 1812 the pews down stairs in the German Flatts Church on the south side were rented by Christopher P. Bellinger (1), Conrad Hess (2), Michael Ittick (3), William Clapsattle (4), Jacob Ittick (5), Daniel C. Fox (6), Conrad Hess (7), John Rasbach (8), Fred Bellinger, Jr. (9), Nicholas Steel (10), Peter Bellinger (11), Mary Shoemaker (12), Marks Casler (13), Frederick Hess (14), Adam Rasbach (15), Frederick Frank and John Mahon (16), Frederick Orendorf (17), Henry Crontz (18), Jacob G. Weber (19), George A. Clapsattle (20), Ludwig Campbell (22), John T. Casler (23), John Casler, Jr. (24), Henry Starring (25), Nicholas Casler (26), Nicholas Starring (27), Christian Fox ( ), Jas. Fox (31), Frederick Frank (32), George Rosencrantz (36), John T. Bellinger (38), Frederick Casler (39), Nicholas Spoon and John Miller (41), Nicholas Casler (42), Michael Fox (43), Frederick Orendorf (44), Michael Ittik (45), Henry Myers (46), John Shoemaker (47), Christopher Casler (48), Rudolph G. Steel (49), Daniel C. Fox and George Rosencrantz (50), Laurence Shoemaker (51), John Frank (52), Stephen Eyseman (53), George Clapsattle (57), Jacob Crontz (58), John Frank (59), Peter Bellinger (60), Peter Piper (61), Adam R. Steel (62), Richard Steel (63), Jacobus Casler (64).

In the gallery pews were rented by Christopher P. Bellinger (1), Michael Ittick (2), Frederick Hess (3), Jas. Fox (4), John Rasbach (5), George Clapsattle (6), Andrew Piper (11), Peter Bellinger Jr. (12), Peter Helmer (14), Thomas Rankins (20, Nicholas Casler and Henry Starring (26), Henry Myers (28), Jacob C. Folmer (29), John A. Clapsattle (30), Jacob Folmer (31), Nicholas Spoon and John Miller (32), Peter F. Bellinger (33), Christopher Casler (34), George Bellinger and Jacob Ittick (35), Silvenus Seeber (36), Peter Bellinger (37). The rentals for the pews on the floor amounted to $3427 and those in the gallery $514.75, deeds for which were given in most cases, and these pews were deeded down the line to the descendants. The numerals indicate the number of the pews.