Herkimer County NyArchives History .....Town Of German Flats 1869
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  GERMAN FLATS, named from the German settlers who located upon the Mohawk flats
at this place, was formed as a district of "Tryon County," March 24, 1772. Its
name was exchanged with the Kingsland District, March 8, 1773. It was
reorganized as a town, March 7, 1788. In 1796 Frankfort, Litchfield and Warren
were taken off, and a part of Little Falls in 1828. It lies upon the south bank
of the Mohawk, south of the center of the County. A fine fertile intervale
extends along the river, and from it the surface gradually rises to a bight of
from 300 to 400 feet, and spreads out into an undulating upland. The valley of
Fulmer Creek divides this upland into two nearly equal parts. The other streams
are small brooks. The soil is a clay and slaty loam upon the hills, and a
gravelly loam and alluvium in the valleys.

  Mohawk, (p. v.) situated in the north-west part of the town, on the canal, was
incorporated April 16, 1844. It contains three churches, two hotels, a printing
office, several stores, mechanic shops, &c, and about 200 inhabitants.

  The Herkimer County News, a weekly newspaper, is published here by W. H.
Williams and D. H. Perkins.

  The Cemetery, near the village, contains about five acres and is one of the
most beautiful of its size in the State.

  Broomhall's Malt House is 65 by 180 feet, and three stories high. It uses
about 40,000 bushels annually. 

   Varley Hall is a fine, brick building, 43 by 123 feet, with a stage 43 by 25
feet, well fitted up for dramatic exhibitions. It was built in 1860 at a cost of
$8,000, and will seat 1,000 persons.

  Ilion, (p. v.) situated about one and a half miles west of Mohawk, on the Erie
Canal, was incorporated in 1852, and contains three churches, two hotels, a
bank, a newspaper printing office, an armory for the manufacture of Remington's
rifles and about 3,000 inhabitants. The village contains many neat and
comfortable residences, indicating thrift rather than great wealth.

  The Remington Armory has a reputation world wide, and has, during the last few
years, furnished our own Government and several of the European Governments some
of the best arms in the world. The Vice-Roy of Egypt closed a contract for
60,000 rifles a few months since, which has recently been increased to 150,000.
The machinery cost over half a million dollars, and when driven to its full
extent is capable of turning out a finished breach-loading rifle every three
minutes during the twenty-four hours.

  The Agricultural Works are very extensive, and, with the Armory, give
employment to a large number of the citizens of Ilion and the neighboring villages.

  Ilion Public School occupies a fine three story building, under the charge of
V. G. Curtis, Principal, and seven assistants. The number of pupils is about 400.

  Fort Herkimer, two miles east of Mohawk, contains two churches, viz., Lutheran
and Reformed; a hotel, two groceries and about thirty dwellings.

  There are several mills and cheese factories in various parts of the town.

  Harrington's Mill, one mile south of Ilion, runs an upright and a circular
saw, and cuts about 100,000 feet of lumber annually.

   Vickerman's Mills, a mile and a half south of Ilion, turns out about 800 tons
of plaster, 100 tons of feed and 50 tons of water lime annually.

  Edick's Saw Mill, five miles south-east of Mohawk, on Fulmer's Creek, cuts
about 100,000 feet annually.

  Morts' Cheese Factory, four miles south-east of Mohawk, makes about 94,000
pounds annually.

  Morts' Mill cuts 100,000 feet of lumber, makes 5,000 cheese boxes, and runs a
planing mill and circular saw.

  Day's Saw Mill, four miles south-east of Mohawk, runs one upright saw.

  Ford's Saw Mill, five and a half miles south-east of Mohawk, cuts about 90,000
feet annually.

  Pains Hollow Grist Mill contains two runs of stones, is a custom mill.

  Mohawk Valley Cheese Factory, three miles east of Mohawk, makes about 130,000
pounds annually.

  Forel's Saw Mill, two miles south of Mohawk, on Fulmar's Creek runs a circular
and an upright saw and cuts 200,000 feet annually.

  The first settlement of this town was made in 1722, by a colony of
Palatinates, who had previously located upon the Hudson. The population
increased quite rapidly until 1757, when the whole settlement was laid waste by
a party of Canadians, French and Indians. The following exaggerated account is
given by the French: "On the 11th of November, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, M.
de Belletre, preceded as was his custom by scouts, crossed the river Corlaer
[Mohawk] with his detachment, partly swimming, partly in water up to the neck.
He encamped at nightfall in the woods, a league and a half from the first of the
five forts that covered the Palatine settlements. The 12th, at 3 o'clock in the
morning; he gave his detachment the order of march and attack so as to surround
the said five forts and the entire Palatine village, consisting of sixty houses.
   Though M. de Belletre knew that the English got notice the day preceding, yet
that the courage of the Indians might not receive the least check, and to show
them that he would not rashly expose them, he liberated an Indian of the Five
Nations whom he had until then detained under suspicion. But this savage could
not injure M. de Belletre, because he commenced at the same time to attack the
five forts and the Palatines' houses. At sight of the first fort he decided to
take it by assault. The enemy kept up a most active fire of musketry, but, the
intrepidity with which M. de Belletre, with all the officers and Canadians of
his detachment, advanced, coupled with the war-whoop of the Indians, terrified
the English to the degree that the Major of the village of the Palatines, who
commanded the said fort, opened the doors and asked for quarter. M. de Belletre
lost no time in repairing to the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth,
which were not less intimidated than the first, by his intrepidity and the cries
of the Indians. They all surrendered at discretion and were entirely burnt.
During this time a party of Canadians and Indians ravaged and burnt the said
sixty houses of the Palatines, their barns and other outbuildings, as well as
the water mill. In all these expeditions about forty English perished, killed or
drowned. The number of prisoners is nearly one hundred and fifty men, women and
children, among whom is the Mayor of the village, the surgeon and some militia
officers. We had not a man killed; but M. de Lorimer, officer, was wounded in
the right side by a ball, and three or four savages slightly. The damage
inflicted on the enemy is estimated, according to the representations of the
English themselves, to wit: In grain of all sorts a much larger quantity than
the island of Montreal has produced in years of abundance. The same of hogs;
3,000 horned cattle; 3,000 sheep. All these articles were to be sent in a few
days to Corlaer [Schenectady]; 1,500 horses, 300 of which were taken by the
Indians, and the greater number consumed for the support of the detachment. The
property in furniture, wearing apparel, merchandise and liquor, might form a
capital of 1,500,000 livres, [$277,500]. The Mayor of the village alone lost
400,000 [$74,000]. The French and Indians have acquired as rich a booty as they
could carry off. They have in specie more than 100,000 livres [$18,000]. One
Indian alone has as much as 30,000 [$5,550]. There was likewise plundered a
quantity of wampum, silver bracelets, &c, scarlet cloth and other merchandise
which would form a capital of 80,000 more."

  In July, 1782; the German settlements in this town were destroyed by a party
of about 600 Tories and Indians. They were first discovered by Peter Wolever,
and Augustinus Hess, who lived near the Fort. The families of both these men
reached, the Fort without any other casualty than the death of Hess, just as he
was entering the gate. The few troops stationed here were not strong enough to
act offensively, and the invaders burned all of the houses except that of George
Herkimer, and drove off the cattle. Valentine Staring was taken prisoner and put
to torture so near that his cries could be heard at the Fort. The loss of the
Americans was four killed, and that of the enemy was supposed to be much
greater. The wife of Mr. Henry Wetherstone, in the field at some distance off,
was tomahawked, scalped and left for dead by the Indians. She however recovered
and lived many years.

  F. E. Spinner, United States Treasurer, whose autograph has become familiar to
every person fortunate enough to possess a greenback, is a native of this town.
He was born January 21, 1802, where the village of Mohawk now stands. He held
various offices in the County, and in 1854 was elected to Congress, and was
re-elected in 1856 and 1858. In 1861 he was appointed by President Lincoln
United States Treasurer, an office which he still holds. His father, Rev. John
P. Spinner, emigrated from Germany and landed in New York, May 12, 1801. He was
a highly educated gentleman and for several years previous to his immigration, a
clergyman of the Romish Church, but in 1800 he embraced the Protestant faith and
soon after come to this country as stated above. Soon after his arrival he was
called to the pastorate of the German congregations at Herkimer and German
Flats, and continued to labor in that capacity about forty years. During this
time he was a teacher in the High School at Utica for about a year and a half.
His labors were not confined to the churches under his immediate charge, hut he
preached occasionally to the settlers in many of the adjacent towns. He died at
his residence in Herkimer, May 27, 1848, aged 80 years.

  The population of this town in 1860 was 5,074; its area is 20,307 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.


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