Herkimer County NyArchives History .....Town Of Ffrankfort 1869 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 14, 2007, 6:15 pm FRANKFORT, named in honor of Lawrence Frank, an early settler, was formed from German Flats, February 5, 1796. In the formation of Oneida County, in 1798, it was divided and a part annexed to Deerfield. It lies on the west border of the County, south of the Mohawk. The surface is a broad intervale, rising into hills of moderate elevation on the south-west border, the highest points being about 500 feet above the river. The Mohawk flows south-east, on the north border. The streams are small brooks and creeks. The soil on the uplands is a clayey and slaty loam and on the flats an alluvial loam. In the south-west part are several limestone ledges, the most important of which is the Horsebone Ledge. The stone is whitish and makes excellent lime. Slate and calciferous sandstone are found in some places. Frankfort, (p. v.) located in the north-east part, contains four churches, two hotels, a woolen factory, a grist mill, a saw mill, a distillery, a match factory, several carriage shops and, the usual number of mechanic shops of various kinds, and about 1,000 inhabitants. The manufacture of friction matches is extensively carried on at this place. The main building is 56 by 58 feet and two and a half stories high. There are two other buildings, one 26 by 84 feet, the other 24 by 84 and two stories high. There are ten other buildings used for various purposes. The works are driven by water and give employment to about 300 hands, two thirds of whom work in and about the shops, and the others at their homes. The lumber is all kiln dried, and there are used annually 700,000 feet of white pine, 250,000 feet of basswood and 50,000 feet of spruce. About 800 gross per day are manufactured, and about $300,000 per year are paid to the Government, for stamps. The business was commenced by Mr. Wm. Gates, the proprietor, in 1847, but did not attain its present dimensions until 1862. This town was settled previous to the Revolution, by German families, along the river. Jacob Folts was the first settler and located on lot 3, Burnetsfield Patent. Among the other early settlers were Conrad Folts, Andrew Piper, David Dederick, Aaron James, ____ Morgan, Evan Evans, Joseph Harris, John Morris, Moses Myers and Adam Webber. Several Welsh families settled about 1800. The first inn was kept by John Myers, in 1795; the first sawmill was built by John Hollister, in 1794, and the first grist mill by Adam J. Campbell, in 1808. The Methodist Church was organized in 1849 with a membership of twenty; Rev. Jesse Penfield was the pastor. For several years previous to this, meetings had been held in the school house and in the public halls, but a small brick church was erected soon after the organization at a cost of $2,000. This house having become too small for the society, a new one was erected and dedicated June 8th, 1869. The size is 42 by 75 feet, including a small projection for steeple, and cost $15,000. The number of members is 120. Rev. B. F. Barker is the present pastor. The Universalist Society was formed under the occasional preaching of Rev. Dolphus Skinner, D. D., previous to 1844, when a framed church was erected at a cost of about $2,000. In 1849 Rev. Richard Eddy organized a Church. Since that time the Church has had several different pastors, and at intervals no preaching. In 1866 Rev. D. Ballou reorganized the Church with forty-two members. The church edifice has since, been repaired, and the Sabbath school and the membership of the. Church have been considerably increased. Rev. Willis Harrison Grigsby is the present pastor. The population of the town in 1865 was 3,087; its area is 21,023 acres. Additional Comments: GAZETTEER AND BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY, N Y., FOR 1869-70. COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY HAMILTON CHILD AUTHOR OF WAYNE, ONTARIO, SENECA, CAYUGA, TOMPKINS, ONONDAGA, MADISON, CORTLAND, CHEMUNG, SCHUYLER, ONEIDA, STEUBEN, ORLEANS, NIAGARA, GENESEE, CHENANGO, MONROE, MONTGOMERY, FULTON, RENSSELAER, WYOMING, AND OTHER COUNTY DIRECTORIES. Permanent Office, 23 & 24 E. Washington St, Syracuse, N. Y. "He that has much to do, will do something wrong, and of that wrong must suffer the consequences; and if it were possible that he should always act rightly, yet when such numbers are to judge of his conduct, the bad will censure and obstruct him by malevolence, and the good sometimes by mistake."—SAMUEL JOHNSON. HANG UP THIS BOOK FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. SYRACUSE: PRINTED AT THE JOURNAL OFFICE, 23 & 24 E. WASHINGTON STREET. 1869. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ny/herkimer/history/other/townofff105gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/nyfiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb